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Charleston Going All Out - December 21, 2010
Determined to create one of the most memorable sailing events in 2011, the organizers of Charleston Race Week have ramped up their efforts, with significantly heavier and earlier promotion than in years past. So far, however, the 105 fleet hasn't responded to the hoopla. Although nearly 60 boats already are registered for the event, only one is 34.5 feet long. (The Melges 24 fleet, in contrast, already has 23 boats registered.) If you've never been, this is an event worth doing for the sheer fun of it. And if you have been, it's worth going back for the same reason. Click on the link below to get more information. Charleston Race Week 2011 Web Site
 See, Dummy, They Go On Your Hands Like This! - December 21, 2010
Dan Neff, Pam Morris, and Nadine Stephens star on Page 32 of the latest APS catalog (the big one, not the little promotional one they send out when all you buy is a $150 shackle). Who knew the crew on Eclipse were also glove experts? Or that the catalog designers at APS were so smart about how they crop photos? (Ed: Damian, that's what you get for ignoring our emails.) Click on the photo to enlarge. We've entitled it: Les Trois Mousquetaires.
Site to Suspend Publication for Holidays - December 21, 2010
The Fleet #6 web site will cease publishing new items on Dec. 23 in order to start celebrating the holidays. We will return with new vigor on Jan. 3.
The Dope on Rope - December 21, 2010
Just about to press the button on a big order of new halyards and sheets from APS? Yes, it would make a nice Christmas gift for yourself. But NO, don't do it. In January, APS will be running a sale on all its non remnant line. Probably around 15% off, sources say. Our version of a candy store also will be offering 20% off on rigging services. So, unless saving money is of no importance to you, it's worth putting off that urge for just a few more days.
Another tip: the sale rack at the APS web site is a good thing to regularly check if you are as obsessed with new line as we are. The store often offers line discounted by as much as 60%. They enter and sell rope quickly so double check the price against the per foot cost (we once noticed APS trying to sell a piece of line for more than the regular cost...an error they corrected.)
Tip #2: McMichael's says it will match APS on pricing for line. So, if you want to stay local, January might be a good time to place an order with their rigger, David Chard. He does great work, though usually charges more than APS for labor.
Final thought: How come the gift givers in our lives never realize we'd be so much happier with a new Y-bridle spin sheet (or even a new vang line) than we would with another cashmere sweater (or tie)?
World's Most Boring Web Site Could Save You, Your Crew, and Your Boat - December 18, 2010
People who like watching paint dry or grass grow will love this web site. But so will sailors lost in a fog on Long Island Sound or near Point Judith. We stumbled upon it the other day and immediately downloaded the web address--www.marinetraffic.com--into our iPad for possible future emergency use. The site tracks the progress of ships equipped with AIS transmitters everywhere on the face of the Earth. The screen grab at the right was taken from a view of Long Island Sound at night. It shows two passing passenger ships, an unidentified vessel, and a tug. Clicking on a ship provides the viewer with information about the name and size of the vessel, as well as its intended destination. You can also see its speed and track--everything you'd want to know when you are buried in the brume. Marinetraffic.com also allows you to sit at home in your living room and watch freighters coming and going around the world, though using the site this way may been a sign that you should sharply increase your regular dosage of Zoloft. link to marinetraffic.com
Please Help Us With Fleet #6 Survey - December 17, 2010
The Fleet #6 web site will soon be emailing a survey to all J-105 owners and crew in our community. If there are any questions you'd like to see on the survey or any issues you'd like raised, please email them to us at j105fleet6@j105.org. The survey will be conducted in electronic form and results posted on the web site.
We don't have many of the email addresses for crew, so please send those even if you don't have questions you want to add. It is very important to us that crew members feel as involved in Fleet 6 activities as owners and we are planning to take a number of steps to encourage that.
Finally, if anyone has contact information for any area J-105 owners who aren't currently active in our fleet, please pass that along as well.
Great Deal on a J-105 Main and Jib - December 17, 2010
Ed Kriese at Doyle's loft in Detroit has two Doyle J/105 class sails left in stock that he is willing to sell at a deeply discounted price. The sails are a Stratis Kevlar custom fiber aligned laminate jib and a Dacron main built to the latest shape.
Writes Ed: "Stratis fiber- aligned sails have fibers mapped directly along all load paths with each fiber load bearing for a stronger, lighter and more durable sail. Unlike our competitors, Stratis sections are laminated flat under extremely high pressure for a custom load path sail much less prone to delamination and therefore longer lasting."
Anyone interested in a never-to-be repeated price should call Ed at the loft (586-790-7500) or on his cell phone (313-680-6844).
A Gift Idea For the Man Who Thinks He Has Everything - December 16, 2010
French artist Julien Berthier has designed a fully operational boat to look as if it is sinking. The 6.5m (21ft) yacht was cut in half with a new keel and motor added so it remains in the sinking position while being able to sail along at 5 knots. He describes it as "the permanent and mobile image of a wrecked ship that has become a functional and safe leisure object." As a piece of art, we are not sure whether we see this as a commentary on the philosophy of Nietzsche or a commentary on the nature of love. We do know we'd like to see the look on the NYYC race committee's face if one of us crossed the finish line piloting this. Come on Joerg, you can afford one. To see better photos and a video of this unusual craft, click the link below. We can't decide which we like best: the movie or the picture of the boat in the marina. Berthier's Vessel
Update on Kattack - December 15, 2010
Fleet #6 is continuing to look into the possibility of broadcasting our races live on the Web using Kattack, a race tracking program that follows boats in real time around the buoys. Today we learned that class President Bernie Girod recently paid $950 out of his own pocket so that J-105s could use Kattack at Key West and other major events.
The $950 pays for a 1-year license for the race management software. It appears possible that Fleet #6 could use the class license this year without having to pay anything ourselves.
In addition to the license, boats also either need to rent or buy a tracking device. The rechargeable device (battery life is about eight hours, meaning you need to take it home every night with you along with your VHF) costs $145, but also requires that the owner maintain a cheap data plan. The data plan costs $10 for every three months of use. Kattack will also rent devices for $95 a year and maintain the data plan for you (you still have to charge the battery yourself).
An even cheaper option is for owners to use their own GPS device (an iPod will do) to record tracks and transmit them to the web site. Our reservation about this is that it's something of a pain and may discourage compliance. The value of Kattack tracking declines exponentially the more "invisible" boats there are in a race--something we learned at Block Island two years ago, when Kattack was used.
Fleet #6 is interested in hearing how owners feel about giving this a try in 2011. We'd not only be able to broadcast races, but store tracks on our web site for every event.
Please take a moment and let us know by voting in the poll to the right. Or post a note in the Fleet #6 Forum or write to J105planetclaire@gmail.com with opinions or questions. At present, nearly 90% of the votes are running in favor of using Kattack, and no one has said they wouldn't use it even if others did.
We know that senior class officials are excited about introducing Kattack as a component of J-105 racing (it really does add a whole new dimension to the sport). So it's possible we could soon see widespread use among 105 owners.
Key West Update: Registration Deadline is Friday - December 15, 2010
With a little over a month to go, 13 J-105s are now registered for Key West Race Week. The J-105s are currently the third largest class at the event. J-105 registrants include Brian Keane's Savasana and Class President Bernard Girod's Rock & Roll. Among local boats, Kevin Grainger (Gumption3) and Peter Rugg (Jaded) also have entered. The deadline is Dec. 17 to avoid a $200 late charge. No entries accepted after Dec. 30.
If You Aren't Doing This Stuff That's Why You Didn't Have a Season Like Eclipse - December 15, 2010
Dan Neff is a guy who makes the trains run on time. That's true literally of his day job as an MTA consultant and true metaphorically in his role as tactician aboard Eclipse. No J-105 had a more impressive season in 2010 than the blue streak with the number 50 on its sails. The Eclipse gang won more than a third of the races they participated in during the year, some wire-to-wire and some by digging their way out from the back of the fleet. Along the way, they won Block Island Race Week, the East Coast Championship, the Narraganset Bay Championship, the Manhasset YC Fall Series, and the Overall Fleet #6 2010 season series. There's a word in common use on the internet that would describe Eclipse's season, but we have refused to cave in to fads by using it on this web site. We will make an exception this once. The word is epic.
Eclipse had all three of the major determinants of race success going for it throughout the season: boat speed (no one was faster), boat handling (the work of a team that has sailed together for years), and smart tactics. In the Q&A with Dan below, we focus on the last one of those three to get a glimpse into the way decisions are made aboard Eclipse both before and during racing.
This interview, conducted via email, is one you seriously ought to consider forwarding to the rest of your team.
Question: How long have you been sailing? When did you start?
Answer: 34 years. I started at age 8 with my parents on a Catalina 22. I won my first solo race on a Sunfish the day I turned 13. I grew up sailing in a variety of classes: Sunfish, Laser, 420, Hobie cats Contender, Jet 14, Lightning, Flying Scot. They were all one or two person boats, so my role encompassed it all. My wife and I had been sailing the Flying Scot as much as possible when I was introduced to Damian Emery.
Q: How long have you been sailing on Eclipse?
A: 10 years. The first regatta was Block Island Race Week 2000. I was a bit nervous to sail on Eclipse because she was gracing the cover of Sailing World magazine and Block Island was the big leagues compared to the Flying Scot. We did a short practice sail in the harbor and the rest is history.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I own www.FlyingScotRacing.com, www.neffphotography.com, and I am a Senior Consultant for Louis T. Klauder and Associates, www.ltk.com, a Transit Rail Systems Consulting Firm. I provide mechanical engineering support to the MTA to keep the Newest NYC subway cars operating properly.
Q: How do you operate as tactician? Do you see your role mostly as an advisory one with the skipper making the final decisions? Or are there times when you say we have to tack or jibe fully expecting a fast response?
A: Eclipse is a very dynamic boat. Each person on the crew has one or two jobs to do 110%, but when your job is to wait for the next turning mark you give feedback on what you see the wind doing, 2 boat length, 10 boat length, at the top mark, at the bottom mark, etc., and were all the boats are positioned. As you know, the tactician is also trimming the mainsail so you can always look around. Sometimes going up wind I get a little overwhelmed by the information coming from the rail and can't always buffer it. Being a tactician on Eclipse was a little different than what I expected in 2000. I thought it would be like an America's Cup tactician in that you call the shots. I quickly learned this was not the way on Eclipse. Damian focuses on driving and keeping his speed at maximum all the time. As tactician I do my part in figuring out pre-race, pre-start, start, and first beat. After the start I listen, most of the time, to the crew feeding me information about wind and boats. I crunch the numbers and pass the information along to Damian, filtered of course, trying to stick to the pre-race plan. I also learned quickly that Damian is a good sailor and knows how to get around a race course, so he can make a lot of his own decisions; but I can overrule his decision when I see something different. I like to give him his way 99% of the time. It keeps him focused on speed and not tactics as much. Yes, I can make the boat tack if needed.
Q: What else do you do as crew?
A: Primarily tactics and mainsail trimmer, but I also trim jib, and spinnaker. I have done bow once or twice. Also, make lunch between races, or assist. I get the task of bow stickers too.
Q: What information do you get from other members of the crew?
A: Wind shifts from corner to corner and top to bottom almost continuously.
Q: What preparation do you do for a race before leaving the dock?
A: I check the weather forecast, tide and make note of the velocity and directions predicted for race time. I then quickly forget about it and get to the boat on time.
Q: How much attention do you pay to weather forecasts? Do you have a favorite source?
A: In general the weather forecasting is getting better (accuweather.com), but they are primarily tailored to a larger region, so unless you are planning a trip to Bermuda I would take any forecast with a grain of salt. Generally the forecast will give the macro trends correctly. For example the NE wind 5-8 will clock to the SE and build to 10-15 by 1 PM. I interpret that to mean: protect the right with a possible need to tighten the rig between race 1 and 2.
Q: Do you have a specific pre-start routine? (Let's assume were talking about important races throughout this interview.) What information do you try to collect?
A: We like to sail up wind to check rig settings and get some average numbers from the compass. We check the line and windward mark to determine the end of the line we will start.
Q: Are you as disciplined about doing this between races as you are before the first race of the day?
A: Yes, we like to sail up wind and check everything before the next race.
Q: My impression is that all things being equal, Eclipse likes to start at the ends, especially the pin. Is this a fair assessment? (I think I almost never see you guys anywhere near the middle of the line at the start.) Can you tell us why?
A: One end is always favored and when the line is square we still pick the pin, so yes, the majority of the time we are at the pin. It does not always work, and we have found ourselves getting spit out the back, or even hitting the pin. Generally, Eclipse likes to foot, so when we find ourselves in the middle we are forced to pinch; and we just don't feel comfortable. The ends also give you more options to tack away than the middle does.
Q: How does the Eclipse team decide where it's going to try to be on the line?
A: Typically the pin is on the port side of the committee boat and is a small round ball or staff with a flag. Joking aside we check the line for square to the wind and to the windward mark. We agree on an end and then it's all up to Damian. Damian and I have learned that we don't always see the start the same way or thing at the same time. Almost always when I try to position him, we end up doing half his plan and half mine. It never seems to work, so I let Damian do his plan. It keeps him happy and focused.
Q: My big fear about starting at the pin is getting caught on the outside of an early shift to the right. My impression is that this doesn't seem to deter you guys that much from starting down the line. True?
A: The same can happen at the boat. An early left hand shift can put the pin end ahead. If the wind is predicted to go right we start at the boat. Of course, an early right hand shift with a pin start would suck and we've been there, so we do think about it.
Q: I know this didn't happen a lot this past year, but let's say you find yourself buried after the start with a second row or worse start. How do you rearrange your priorities?
A: It happens more than you think. We try to stick to the plan, but we focus on getting clear air and working the shift a little harder. Sometimes it's easier to see the shifts from the back, but you can't always react to them because tacking might put you in dirty air and speed is really what you need. But, you have to balance speed with going the correct way. Being aggressive at mark rounding can help to pick off a boat or two. Sometimes we get lucky and the plan was to go left and we get forced right and round first. We call that a Kincsem.
Q: Are there specific boats you key off of or pay extra attention to tactically?
A: Yes and No. All boats on the race course can help to determine a plan for getting around the course quickest. Towards the end of the series we focus on the two closest boats in points and sail fairly to keep them behind or to gain a few spots.
Q: I think the hardest decision to make is what to do when you see boats on your hip starting to lift inside of you. Do you tack and duck them or keep going in the hopes the wind will shift back. Any thoughts on this subject?
A: I think back to my weather forecaster's opinion of the day and determine if the lift is expected or just a local event. We tack when we can cross. If it's a persistent shift then getting out of dodge and taking one or two transoms might be necessary. If the shifts have been oscillating then we hang in.
Q: How much weight do you give to current when sailing in the Sound? A: My theory is sail up stream of the rum line.
Q: How much of your tactical decisions come from long experience sailing on the Sound--you are seeing something out there you've seen before?
A: None, but in the back of my mind I might think to myself that this or that worked before. There are no guarantees, though.
Q: Are there some fairly hard and fast rules you follow in certain conditions, i.e., head left toward shore when the wind is blowing from the Northeast?
A: Given your example, NE winds on the sound can produce large rollers, so getting out of the middle can help with boat speed, but if the forecast is to clock to the south then we still would work to protect the right.
Q: I think Eclipse is the best boat out there when it comes to calling lay lines--and I have learned to always look at where you guys seem to think the lay line is. Any secrets you can share?
A: 90 degrees off the beam when sailing up wind. If the tide is with you, the lay line is early, and later when she's against you. Downwind we look up. The tail of the wind indicator should point at your mark, keeping in mind the tide. We like to generally avoid lay lines because even two boat lengths over stood could mean the difference between gaining a position and loosing one.
Q: Do you have different priorities sailing upwind in light air vs heavy air?
A: Tide can dominate a light air regatta, so K T F B M (Keep The Fu@!'n Boat Moving). Tide is less a factor in heavy air, so focus on wind shifts.
Q: Do you use a lift/knock function on the instruments or just record and watch the compass headings?
A: We write the headings on the deck in pencil, but I try to keep them in my head. The problem with the computing compass is that it can not see the boats around you, so by the time it calculates it is time to tack it is too late. They work on averages, so if you want to be average then listen to the computer. If you want to be above average then look upwind, anticipate the shift, and sail as fast to it as you can and then tack, but keep in mind that tacking may be the fastest way to get there.
Q: At the windward mark, who calls the hoist?
A: Damian.
Q: When do you decide whether you are going to be gybing at the windward mark? What do you look at to make this call?
A: The last shift into the mark will determine the rounding. If starboard is headed then set and go. If lifted then gybe.
Q: Who calls which gate you are going to?
A: Pre-race preparation--meaning we check if they are square before the start. If the gate hasn't been set, we give the committee the benefit and assume they are square. Then the wind shift will determine the mark we round. We like to sail the lifted tack away from the mark, or if there has been a big shift, the tack that makes the longest beat first. Sometimes traffic dictates the clear mark to round.
Q: Who calls the douse?
A: Damian.
Q: What's the most important advice you would give to other tacticians who want to help their teams do better?
A: This is a tough question. There is no one thing because every crew is different. I think to be a good tactician you have to listen to your skipper and crew and then give them what they want. Some crews need a lot and some do not.
Q: What the most frequent tactical mistake you see other boats making?
A: Another tough question because there is never just one mistake. We make them too, but maybe the difference is not tactics but boat handling. Bad tacks, sets, and roundings can add up just as fast as bad tactical decisions. So, it's not all about tactics.
Q: Do you keep a race log, record your GPS tracks or any of that sort of thing?
A: No. The only thing we really keep track of is rig setting, but we have not added to the log in some time. We just have been referencing it. It is really just a guide to get the basic setting for the wind strength then we fine tune it by sailing close hauled on both tacks and sighting the mast.
Q: Any parting comment?
A: Yes, bring apple pie if things are not going perfectly!!!! (Photo of Dan with pie courtesy of Bruce Stone.)
Calling All Blockheads! - December 14, 2010
The Storm Trysail Club has asked us to notify our fleet that their 2011 Block Island Race Week web site has launched. See link below. The dates for the regatta will be June 19-24th. We're expecting a great turnout for this event in 2011 with boats from all over the Northeast and the Annapolis area in attendance. So we recommend committing early so you can line up accommodations, ferry reservations, and dock space. It's best, though not absolutely necessary, to have all this done early. Block Island Web Site
Feature: Ullman's Bruce Cooper Talks J-105 Sails - December 13, 2010
Bruce Cooper, the J-105 specialist at Ullman Sails, is a long-time innovator in the class. He's worked for Ullman for more than 25 years and in 2006 purchased the Newport Beach & Long Beach Ullman Sails franchises. During his sailmaking career, he's developed skills that range from handwork to running the plotter to designing. Although Bruce has raced in virtually every type of sailboat, he has a soft spot for the J-105. The home page of his Newport Beach loft's web site (http://ullmansailsnewportbeach.blogspot.com) features a 105 blasting through the Southern California surf. This dedication to the class has paid off: Ullman Sails rule 105 racing in Southern California. An interview with Bruce (conducted via email) follows:
Question: Is there really that much room for improvement left in the design of J-105 sails? The class has been around for 20 years now. Surely everything has been tried before. No?
Answer: There is always room for improvement. I have been sailing J-105s for over 14 years and have seen much of the refinement with the sails, rig tuning and how we sail the boats change in that time. I explain to customers that the sail making world makes about 95% the same sail compared to each other. Virtually all racing sails are limited to size, weight and rigging considerations. So, in essence we all have the same canvas to create our master piece on. It's what the sail maker does in the last 5% that separates good designs and top quality sails with a back of the pack sails.
Ullman Sails has been very good at having the upwind sails work in harmony together. For example, when the main wants to be flattened and sheeted harder, the jib headstay sag is a little excessive and then comes up to the trim point when the backstay is tightened. This comes from all of Ullman Sails successful dinghy experience. Basically, we work on getting the sails to work better for you, not against you. The advantage for my loft is that we get to be involved in sailing and coaching the J-105s to improve the sails, trim and boat setup. It is an ongoing process.
Q: What, specifically, about the sails can still be improved? Take us through each one: main, jib, chute.
A: The main is basically used as a two year sail. The main is Dacron, therefore gets a touch heavy to give it the race life through two seasons and not be a throw away sail at the end of its race life. Ullman worked hard on minimizizing weight by putting Contender 8.52PK in the head panels (stronger cloth in the head to promote shape retention in that high load area), then switching to 7.52 in the body. Then in 2003, we changed all the patching to 6.5 PK warp to lower the weight further without hurting the race or shelf life of the sail. Ullman Sails was also the first sail maker to use Kiwi Slides on the luff. That reduced hardware weight and pulled the luff of the sail closer to the mast for better wind flow around the mast and onto the sail. Looking forward, reducing the batten weight with carbon style battens would be an improvement, but more expensive. Currently we have to design a sail that goes from 3 to 30 knots of wind. There would be some different designs if the class had provisions for travel sails for boats that predominately sail in very different conditions. I believe pushing class rules to allow for a travel set of sails would lead to some more refined shapes for venue specific regattas or championships.
The jib is the sail we push the most development into. First, the cloth change to aramid fibers pushes cloth style and shapes in a new direction. Ullman Sails does on the water sail testing and found the most notable factor between results when 2 boat testing is; the boat who has the newer jib, wins the testing! The class rules have changed a couple of times that led to some jib design changes. Ullman Sails was the first loft to promote inhauling the clew with inhaulers (later banned unless only using the windward sheet) and this changed our design a fair amount. The design changed again when the inhaulers were removed. When we changed our original rig tuning and headstay tension in 2004, it was spurred by our jib being cut with a fuller entry and straighter exit. These sails and rig setting won a ton of regattas and championships as a result! Ullman Sails was also the first loft to use technora fiber exclusively in the load path and fill direction. Technora is superior to twaron or Kevlar in flex and UV degradation. This allows the jib to be stronger longer! Our next move would be to ask the class for carbon cloth in the jibs. The Dimension Polyant brand of carbon is called GPL Grand Prix Laminate which is unquestionably the best shape holding and longest lasting cloth on the planet. I use GPL cloth in the sails for my J-105 that I race in PHRF races in Newport Beach. I can have any sail cloth I want and this is the sail cloth I choose for my personal PHRF sails!
The spinnaker is a sail that took a big leap forward when the area jumped up to 89Mtr2. Ullman led the fleet with a sail that performed across the range with ease of trimming and constant speed. Again, the class limited sailors with one spinnaker, so the Ullman AP spinnaker had to perform from 3-30! I think the class made a good move in allowing the second spinnaker on board to be used on the race day without damage or high-wind scenario. This has let sail makers to tweak the spinnaker designs to be geared a little more up or down range.
Q: What's going on at Ullman? Anything new coming?
A: At Ullman we keep sailing my J-105 and testing stuff. We have more info about the J-105 on Ullman Sails on the new One Design Central section of the U/S Newport Beach website. This new link will keep J105 sailors up to date with things we are working on. We are always working with customers to keep their sails tag/purchases current so that they are sailing on fresh tires. The new feeling your older car gets when you simply put new tires on is the same effect on your J105, new sails are instant speed and/or pointing! The change in the spinnaker rule has had us working on spinnakers which I will explain later.
Q: What difference in philosophies do you see among the major sail makers in the design of J-105 sails?
A: I think the different philosophies are geared toward sail designs for the predominate wind and water condition where their key J-105 loft is located. Ullman Sails is fortunate to have several lofts located in the wide range of conditions that most J-105 sailors face. At the end of the day, Ullman Sails seem to perform best across the whole range of conditions. I think the J-105 boat is a good fit for the Ullman Sails program. It's not too small and not too big. I see many lofts overlook or ignore the J-105. Ullman proudly uses J-105s within our advertising and marketing campaigns all the time.
Q: Another way of asking that is...is there really much difference between the sails produced by the major sail makers?
A: As mentioned above, I think we all produce about 95% the same sail. In the end, the sailor has to determine what sails, tuning guide are best for their program. I think the Ullman Sails are not tricky to use and trim or one dimensional. They offer the best complete package for anyone racing. The other sails seem to be geared for particular conditions and one dimensional.
Q: Have the class rules discouraged sailmakers from being as aggressive in J-105s as they might be if they were on the boats more?
A: Yes and no. My experience on J-105s has been in SoCal fleet 8 where the some of the local sailmakers where instrumental in getting sailors out of Schock 35s, J-35s, Olson 30s and into the J-105. Fleet 8 allowed one Category 3 sailor to crew onboard and this really helped the learning curve of the new boat owner and crew with sail and boat handling. When critical mass hit with 26+ boats in SoCal, the National rule was implemented and removed the Cat 3 sailors (sailmakers) from the high point races. As a result, my loft worked harder to make sure the sails were race ready when we sent customers to the front battle lines without their sailmaker Cat 3 insurance. In the end, the J-105 owners did not need a sailmaker to go fast, just fast sails! So, I think sailmakers would be good in the class, but not needed to be on the boats to make good sails.
Q: The class rules changed awhile back to permit two spinnakers. So some sail makers are now producing both a runner and a reacher. What do you think about this?
A: At Ullman, we have introduced a RUN spinnaker a few years ago that is geared for the mid-high wind conditions used on W-L courses. The RUN is best when trimmed out in front of the boat compared to the AP that is designed to be a sail that trims next to the boat in light air and then rotate in front when the breeze picks up. On the bottom end of the wind scale, we have a code 1A VMG spinnaker. The shape anticipates low wind sailing with crew totally to leeward and basically tacking downwind. The construction and patches produces a very light-weight spinnaker to use in under 6-7 knots of true wind. If you already have the Ullman AP spinnaker in the inventory, it would be a good idea to get a RUN or the VMG depending on your local conditions. I think having the two spins is good for J-105 racing. If the J-105's can be a fast fleet at bigger regattas and not getting run over by boats in the fleet starting behind them because of small or slow spinnakers (77 Mtr2), it is a good choice to have more weapons to choose from for downwind sailing.
Q: Are you seeing more interest in the class, about the same or less?
A: Less interest in the class. I think the pecking order is pretty established in most of the fleets. The better boats stay with good results, the middle of the pack sailors get some good races mixed with bad races and the new guys or J-105 sailors who have another life other than sailing take up the back of the fleet. I think Cat 3 sailors should be allowed back in the fleet to crew on boats in the second half of the fleet for a maximum of 3 races or until they place on the podium in a regatta, whichever comes first. Many of the second half sailors have the will to race, but have not learned the skill to race a J-105 smoothly and efficiently around the course. A Cat 3 sailor or coach can instantly give them some new tricks and good habits to go get in the race and stay in the race. Otherwise, the local country club is about to get another new golf member!
Q: What chance do you think we have of seeing new materials used in J105 sails?
A: I vote for Dacron in the main and vote for carbon in the jibs. The spinnakers are good at 44g/m2. The main sail needs to last 2 years and not be thrown away after its racing life. Dacron is perfect (and relatively low cost). The jib cloth can change to carbon and get a rule change for a lower bag weight to get sails lasting longer with race life and shelf life. The spinnaker wears well and do not explode like you see in Farr 40 or TP-52 racing. Keep the spin cloth the same.
Q: Much of the wisdom about sailing the boat has been around for a long time. What do you see racers doing now that wasn't happening before?
A: I see more coaching for the boats and crews that are striving to win. Again, this is good to get the skill set up several levels, but it is separating the front and back of the fleet more than ever. I have also seen J-105 owners also own other competitive one design boats (Farr 40's, Melges 24's, etc) to sharpen their racing skills across the board. This is true dedication to sailboat racing.
I think with economic concerns, I have seen sailors chartering boats for big national regattas rather than incur bigger expenses with transporting their own boats. I think this is a good idea for the success and growth of the class.
Q: What question do you get asked the most from 105 racers?
A: #1 question is, what do I need to do to go faster? We answer first, practice, practice, practice. Second, we ask, what do you think you have to do to go faster? They usually know what they need to do: practice, crew prep, boat prep, good sails and have fun.
Q: The class threw out the forestay max measurement a year or so ago. Do you see anyone now going beyond max? Worth trying in light air?
A: We have a few customers that have tried making some adjustments to lengthen. The idea is to rake the J-105 mast some and then some more. Masquerade was the king of rake and tore up the fleet when the breeze came on, but was not so hot in lighter SoCal conditions. Ullman Sails has been working with customer on adjusting the mast prebend between wind conditions. We urge max prebend in light winds and recommend slowly removing prebend to an almost straight mast as the wind strengthens. This lets the main trim tighter and not hook the leech in light air and lets the rig and headstay stay tighter in windier condtions when you want the backstay adjusted 50+%. This technique is much easier to adjust before you leave the dock or between races than the headstay game!
Q: Why buy Ullman? Make the case why you think 105 owners should buy your sails.
A: Easy, we are involved in J-105 sailing and share your passion. The sails work great and are easy to trim. When you purchase Ullman Sails, you have instant speed and satisfaction. Give us a call and talk to us about your J-105 and racing and sailing, what are your goals for 2011?
Additional reading: The link below leads to a web page Ullman published in 2008 about a sail test it conducted in San Francisco. Ullman 2008 Sail Testing
Sailmakers Offering Year End Discounts - December 11, 2010
Most major sailmakers are now offering December discounts on J-105 sails. UK is offering 10% of the purchase of a single sail, 15% off for two sails, and 20% off for three. Doyle has a 15% off offer on any purchase. Ullman, meanwhile, says it is holding prices at 2007 levels through the end of the month, which it describes as the equivalent of a 15% discount. We are guessing that the other sailmakers will match these offers if asked. So now might be the time to buy if you haven't used your full 2010 quota.
Secrets of Long Island Sound Revealed - December 9, 2010
Not too many sailors get to see their likeness on the cover of Time magazine, but one who did was Cornelius "Corny" Shields. Shields was an investment banker during the Great Depression and perhaps the undisputed hottest skipper to make his home on Long Island Sound.
Known for having a brain that could calculate the variables of time, speed and distance with silicone chip-like precision, Shields gained a reputation as the "Silver Fox of Long Island Sound". The nickname testified to both his tactical skills and his knowledge of tide and weather on a body of water we all know to be maddeningly fickle (even with our chartplotters, GPS units, and internet connections). Boating magazine once wrote: "What Babe Ruth was to baseball of that era, Corny Shields was to small sailboat racing: the man to beat."
Shields is perhaps best known for the 30-foot boat he commissioned Olin Stephens to design in the early 1960s with the goal of making the sport of sailing sport more accessible and affordable for Long Island sailors. Around 250 Shields were built and the boat is still actively raced in our area.
Shields did not keep his treasure trove of knowledge to himself, but instead published it in a thin (very thin) volume known simply as "The Book." George Ryan, who crews on Eclipse, was kind enough to send a copy our way today and we found it fascinating.
You might think that Global Warming and the zillions of tons of concrete poured on Long Island Sound would have made Shields' observations irrelevant by now, but Ryan says that the Eclipse crew refers to "The Book" often. And you can't exactly argue with the fact that Eclipse has been going the right way out there more than the rest of us.
To get a free copy of The Book, copy the following link into your browser. (Apparently this link is too long for us to post on the site the usual way.)
Oh, and by the way, when we described the book as thin, we meant it. It is only four pages long.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B3b4ZFJoApHzODc5ZDNhNmQtYjY2YS00NDRlLWEyOTAtNDFlZmI0ZDgyODVi&authkey=CNPk684D&hl=en
12 105s Now Signed Up for Key West - December 8, 2010
With a little over a month to go, a dozen J-105s are now registered for Key West Race Week. The J-105s are currently the third largest class, one ahead of the J-80s, with 11, and behind the Melges 24 fleet with 19 boats and the Melges 32 fleet with 13 boats. J-105 registrants include Brian Keane's Savasana, Kevin Grainger's Gumption3, and Class President Bernard Girod's Rock & Roll. The entry deadline is Dec. 17 to avoid a $200 late charge. No entries accepted after Dec. 30.
An Option for 2011 - December 8, 2010
Depending on the level of interest, one thing we could do with this web site in 2011 is record and store all of our races using Kattack. Kattack now offers a service that would allow their race player to be embedded right in this site.
There are two ways to go about this: 1.) More expensive: We all buy Kattack wireless transmitters that would allow us to play the races live on the site. The transmitters cost $145 each. 2.) Less expensive: There are a number of GPS devices available (including iPhones with the MotionX ap) that will record tracks. These tracks would need to be downloaded by each boat every race day and emailed to the web master.
The more expensive option is attractive because no one would have to do anything beyond turning on the device on their boat. We guess we'd have more reliable participation by going this route. There's little incentive for crews to download their tracks to the site after they've had a bad race. The wireless transmitters would mean that anyone could watch the races live on our web site.
The less expensive option is attractive because of the lower cost per boat to get started. We might have more boats at least willing to try this out.
Participation by any boat would be voluntary, but obviously the more boats represented the better the race replays would be.
The software to put this on the site costs $950 per year regardless of which route we go of the two choices above. This would probably require us to increase our fleet dues. Fleet #6 has contacted Kattack for further details. We think this would be really fun and would like feedback from as many owners as possible. Please vote in poll at the right (the last poll was just a joke) and email J105planetclaire@gmail.com with any thoughts or suggestions. More details to come.
Kattack's web site
Feature: Quantum's Kerry Klingler Talks J-105 Sails - December 8, 2010
Kerry Klingler rocked more than a few J-105s last month when he left U.K. to go to work for Quantum. No sailmaker has worked more closely with more Fleet #6 boats over the years than Klingler. More than half the teams on the Western Sound, including 2010 Season Champion Damian Emery, have been flying U.K. sails. None use Quantum.
But that's likely to change and change quickly. Joerg Esdorn, a long-time Klingler client, already has commissioned a new Quantum main and jib for delivery before the end of 2010. Others are likely to follow.
Klingler, after all, has been the primary reason for U.K.'s local dominance. Although the J-105 class has never been famous for its friendliness to sailmakers, Klingler never seemed turned off by the class's anti-pro bias. He even campaigned a J-105 named Magic for a time, winning the Larchmont NOOD in 2001. As a racer, he's proven his chops over and over again--especially in the J-80 class, where he has sailed Lifted (pictured at left) to multiple championships. His wins include four North American titles.
Quantum, founded in 1996, is by far the youngest of the major sailmakers. But it has been a hot brand that continues to make inroads among serious racers. In his new post, Klingler, who can now be reached by email at kklingler@quantumsails.com, will be in charge of all of Quantum's J Boat related sail development. One of the things we were quick to ask him when we chatted with him on the phone was whether his responsibilities at Quantum might force him to cut back on the amount of attention he pays to customers in Fleet 6. Read the Q&A below to hear what he had to say about that.
Question: The news about your move to Quantum wasn't clear about where you would be based. What's the deal?
A: It's a whole new world in how people work, isn't it? All you need is an internet connection and you can work anywhere. My role with Quantum is going to be a global one overseeing development of sails for J boats. So it makes sense for me to mostly work out of my apartment in Larchmont. I'll be utilizing the Quantum lofts in Port Washington, N.Y., and Norwalk, Conn., to do repairs and take care of sails for my local customers. It's really a better situation than I had at U.K. because my customers from Long Island won't have to travel so far.
Q: Will your new role at Quantum make you less or more available to Fleet 6 customers? It sounds like you might be spread a little thin working on sails for all J Boats classes.
A: I only expect to be traveling once or twice a month. So my ability to service customers is still very good. I am not sure everyone in the class knows how much time I have spent on 105s racing on Wednesday and Thursday nights. I have put in a lot of time and work. It's been 13 years of steady development. Being involved with Kinscem's program has been invaluable. Joerg Esdorn and Fred Walters express a lot of opinions about their sails and that feedback has really helped. The same is true for Damian Emery. He came to me a couple of years ago because he thought our customers' spinnakers were hurting him downwind. So we built him a spinnaker and his speed improved. Last year, he switched completely over to our designs.
Q: Will your Quantum J-105 sails be different from your U.K. sails?
A: We're building a new main and jib for Joerg right now for delivery before the end of the year. We've modified the Quantum designs based on some of the ideas and experience I have brought with me. The plan is for Quantum to offer heavy air designs based on all they have done in San Francisco and an all-purpose design based on my input. They are going to trial my spinnaker design in San Francisco to see what they think of it. There won't be any wholesale changes until we evaluate how all the shapes work out.
In building new sails for Joerg, we took a look at the last set we made for him when I was at U.K. It was the first time we had experimented with a tri-radial main. The sail was very fast at last year's North Americans. Joerg had incredible boat speed. But over time and with use the sail rounded up slightly in the back end. The material didn't hold up quite as well as we would have liked. So we said, let's go back to the cross-cut main because we didn't have that problem. But we added radial patches to distribute the load out of the head and the clew. That's essentially the design that Damian sailed with last year. Sometimes you do evolution that works and sometimes you have to take a step back.
Q: Is there much difference between the designs offered by the major sail makers?
A: I think there are big differences between the sail makers, though to quantify how good or bad they are is a hard thing to do. Very small differences add up to a lot on the race course. It might be the difference in how long you can hold a lane or how fast you can get off the starting line. The effect just gets multiplied as the races goes on and you just get farther ahead or farther behind. I don't think all of the sail makers are in the same place. I believe my sails have a clear advantage. As soon as he started using our sails, Damian had better speed. He was faster at the East Coast Championships than Brian Keane, who was using North sails.
Speed is important in the J-105. It is a rumble boat. You need to get it going and keep it going. When you put the bow down you might look like you are sailing lower than your competition, but the keel starts working for you and you start developing height.
Q: The class rules changed awhile back to permit two spinnakers onboard. So some sail makers are now producing both a runner and a reacher. What do you think about this?
A: Owners have limited purchasing power because of the class rules. You can only buy five every two years. So it's tough to push people into sails dedicated to limited conditions. My chute is very much a runner. It's a windward-leeward chute. Not much VMG at all. I have designed a VMG chute and sold four or five of them. In retrospect, I think we put too much V into it. I could have made the design closer to the runner because the J-105 is a displacement boat. The runner works really well in planing conditions. The hull design of the boat is really suited for planing in winds over 20 knots.
Q: Are you seeing more interest in the class, about the same or less?
A: Fleet #10 down in Raritan Bay and New York Harbor seems to be growing. The class has had some natural falloff, but the boat has also gotten to the point where the price point is more affordable. So new people are coming in and bolstering the class. The thing I have always said that's so great about the boat is it's simplicity. You only need six people to sail it. You don't need an arsenal of sails. On Wednesday nights, we've raced with just four and done fine.
Q: What chance do you think we have of seeing new materials used in J105 sails?
A: Every once in a while you hear rumblings about it. I've been against lowering the jib weight, but I might change my mind now that I am at Quantum. Technora is a good material that's now available to me at Quantum and is class legal. It would be nice to see carbon be allowed in jibs. It would extend the life of the sail and hold shape better. Carbon is getting cheaper as its use grows in a whole bunch of industries besides ours.
I think holding the line on Dacron for the main isn't necessarily bad for the class. It keeps the price of the sails down a little bit. And it's not uncommon to have a two-year-old main still be very competitive.
I'd prefer using spinnaker cloth that weighs 40 grams per square meter instead of 44. But since everyone has the same thing, it's really not a problem. The Airex 700 material we use holds up very well and doesn't hurt the shape of the sail too much.
Q: What question do you get asked the most from 105 racers?
A: Mostly questions about the set up and trim and how it all works. It's really important to know how to shift through the gears for different wind and wave conditions.
Q: How much luff curve do you think the main should have?
A: We've been moving in the direction of less. Two and a half years ago we had more pre-bend than we do now. Ullman went to a straight mast first and we've gone in their direction. Our mains have more luff curve at the top because it's common to see J-105s with masts that are bent back above the hounds. When we build a main for a new boat, we have to keep in mind that they will have a straighter mast.
Ultimately, the whole game in setting up and tuning the boat is to use rig tension to manipulate headstay tension and thereby control the fullness of the jib. The guys who manipulate the rig best are the guys that can get the most speed out of the boat.
Q: The class threw out the forestay max measurement a year or so ago. Do you see anyone now going beyond max? Worth trying in light air? How do you set your forestay?
A: I never advised in tuning guide to go max headstay. My suggestion was to set it to balance the boat and leave it. Adjusting the headstay is a whole ball of wax I never wanted my customers to get into. I find that when you set up the boat properly, the backstay is usually an inch to half an inch short of the old max. If your headstay is too long you will develop too much sag on the jib and you won't be able to point.
I went through this very thing with Josh Burack's team on Peregrina right before the NA's last year. We shortened the headstay. All of a sudden they were going really well and developing better speeds. I do think you can be too long with the headstay.
Q: Why buy Quantum? Make the case why you think 105 owners should buy your sails.
A: There's more to it than just the sails. First, I have a good product that I have been developing and working on forever. Second, you want good support and service--and we have that. I know the boat and I know the set up. Finally, you need to ask what technology does the company bring to bear that can make the sails faster and more durable. And I think moving to Quantum has given me a real edge on that score. The resources here are pretty unmatched. The technology I have at my disposal night and day is unbelievable, far beyond what I've had access to in the past. I am very excited about my move and what I am going to be able to offer to my customers.
Larchmont Still Open to J-105 Regatta During NOOD Weekend - December 8, 2010
Although Larchmont Yacht Club is planning to host a distance race on the same Saturday that it previously hosted the NOOD, it remains open to the possibility of conducting a J-105 regatta that weekend, according to Jed Kelly, the race committee chairman at LYC. "I'm sure the club would be interested in doing something for the 105s."
The club won't make a final decision on its 2011 racing schedule until January. Kelly said he will be gathering information from as many racers as possible between now and then. (We already gave him our two cents: 1.) The Larchmont regatta has been a fleet favorite 2.) The class doesn't really like distance races and probably won't show up in any numbers for one.)
As previously reported, Sailing World magazine trimmed the number of NOOD regattas it will sponsor in 2011 to eight, cutting the Larchmont event in the process. The magazine cited declining attendance at the September regatta as a reason. Although the Long Island Sound NOOD had developed a reputation for light air, participants the past two years experienced excellent racing conditions.
What I Want For Christmas - December 7, 2010
I know a lot of you out there are just dying to spend $599 plus tax to buy the Fleet 6 web master a Christmas present. The only thing holding you back is that you just can't think of what to get. Well, problem solved. Get him the Velocitek Pro Start (a vast improvement over the earlier Velocitek). He wants it because it will practically do all the work for him at the start. No more dyslexic bowman announcing there's a boat length to go 10 seconds after the boat has already crossed the line. The Pro Start does it all. In fact, our WM could probably tear all the other racing electronics off his boat and just go with this. He hears that virtually the entire Melges 32 class is already using it (those Amway kids are rich). Check it out at APS, which is offering free shipping on orders as expensive as this one. (They already have our web master's address memorized and will know how to get it to him.) Yes, I want to buy John a present!
News We Should Have Reported a Month Ago But Didn't Because We Were Asleep - December 7, 2010
Contrary to any impressions you may have gotten from reading the news on this site, Duncan Hennes was not the first J-105 owner in our fleet to be named commodore of a major yacht club this year. Back on Nov. 13 (when this correspondent was either asleep or still overwhelmed with grief from hauling his boat), Fleet #6's Carl Olsson was promoted to commodore from vice commodore at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Dr. Olsson owns the boat named after what happens to British men when they wake up in the morning. (See Q&A with the Morning Glory owner below if you don't believe it.)
We don't know about the rest of you, but this situation seems ripe for a conspiracy of some sort. Now that our fleet has the two top guns on the Northern shore of the Sound, there must be some way we can take advantage of this opportunity to abuse our power. Maybe we could make the PHRF class start 20 minutes behind us so none of us have to listen to Espo's whining. Or maybe we could even ban PHRF altogether for 2011. Suggestions are welcome, but email them directly to Duncan and Carl.
Feature: Doyle's Perspective on J-105 Sail Development - December 7, 2010
Fleet 6 got a major boost this year when Doyle sail maker Paul Beaudin purchased a J-105, named it Loulou, and jumped into the windward-leeward fray with the rest of us. Although it's typical for class newcomers to flounder around for awhile learning the boat, Beaudin was fast from the start, especially downwind. His only handicap seemed to be occasionally ragged teamwork--something we expect will all but disappear in 2011.
This story, however, isn't about Beaudin as a J-105 racer (although that fact comes into play, as you'll see). Rather, it's about his view of the class as a sail maker. In the Q&A below, you'll quickly see that Beaudin has many interesting things to say. Some of his comments, in fact, are quite provocative. You'll also see why his active participation is going to be good for both our fleet and our class in a number of ways.
Last month, we published a similarly formatted interview North's Will Keyworth. Eventually, we hope to get all five of the major sail maker's to participate. We also may have to give them all a chance to respond to each others' comments before this is all over.
Here's the transcript of our interview with Paul:
Question: Paul, I know am going to sound like an old fart when I ask this question, but here goes: Is there really that much room for improvement left in the design of J105 sails? The class has been around for 20 years now. Surely everything has been tried before. No?
Answer: Yes and no. The current sails, brand to brand, are relatively similar and haven't evolved much over time. Even before sail makers were restricted from sailing in the class, innovation was limited. Without the ability to be out racing on the boats, it is pretty hard to know what is going on. (That's why most of the tuning guides don't work.) Now that I own and drive a J105, I gain valuable insight to improve our sail designs and refine the tuning guide, as an actual end user. Besides the opportunity to sell product I also want my own boat to be as fast as possible.
Q: What, specifically, about the sails can still be improved?
A: One of the many things that has my attention is improving the foot of the jib. It is a 3 fold project: First, improve contact with the deck. Next, add more durability in the foot to handle the thrashing of furling. Third, keep the larger foot quiet in breeze when the lead goes aft. To prove my point about the seriousness of the manufacturers, most have done the easy thing; just trim the shelf, have the foot way off the deck, looking like high water pants and say hey, it's just a 105. Easy, but it has to be slower.
Q: Tell me about what's going on at Doyle. What else are you doing that's new?
A: All of our J105 sails are being, or have been, updated. Our current spinnaker was very fast for me this fall, but it has been still further refined, with design gains we made and proved in the J-122 runner, increasing effective area in the top of the sail. For the jibs, using the amazing new Doyle CFD dynamic modeling software, we can very accurately measure the performance of jibs sailing in different conditions, in a extremely controlled virtual environment. This helped make the jib faster and easier to trim. The mainsail projects more area in the upper roach, helping pointing and helm in light air. I am also working on systems for the boat. We are trying a new cabin top winch that is showing promise of being more durable. On a fun note, this fall, we did do the first sails for the new J-111 and just sailed with the second generation designs on #4 in San Fran.
Q: What difference in philosophies do you see among the major sail makers in the design of J105 sails?
A: I am not sure I see much in the way of philosophies. I think the all sails right now are at about 95%. My approach is work in inches, the fine points, to get the last few percent.
Q: Right now, Doyle is the fifth leading producer of J-105 sails behind North, UK, Quantum and Ullman. Do you think Doyle can make inroads and move up in the rankings?
A: When sail makers were restricted from sailing in the class, we did not feel we could provide the attention to detail we like in a one-design. We moved our focus into newer classes like the 109, 367 and 122. Now we are back and I am working very hard to make sure we have a consistent, high quality product. I am particularly focused on making sure that our products are the fastest across the entire wind range, so you don't need several sails. I have a great design team which includes head designer Richard Bouzaid, who owns Doyle New Zealand and designs sails for the biggest racing yachts. Hugo Boss is one his current projects. He was on board with Russell Coutts when they won the America's Cup. We mold the jibs at his loft on the latest robotic membrane machine. It is the size of a football field and can mold a dozen or more jibs at one time. Another very important resource is chief one-design designer Jud Smith in our Salem loft. He's an Etchells guru, yachtsman of the year, and one of the best one design sail makers on earth. He helps keeps us current on the design edges coming up from the smaller and Olympic classes. I coordinate the final design plans with my in house designer Bill Durant at our facility in Florida, the largest sail loft in the south, where all the J-105 sails are assembled. Our new J105 sails are beginning to turn heads back in our direction.
Q: I think it was a loss for Doyle when Damian Emery switched brands earlier this year, especially since he went on to have one of his best seasons ever with his new UK sails. Did you buy a boat yourself just to prove him wrong?
A: Damian is a great sailor and wins races. He won with Doyle sails and he continues to be at the top of the fleet. For sure, he had a great year. He has been driving very well and he has the best boat handling. We are working hard to get closer. Right now, straight line, Damian and I have been even upwind and I can be a bit faster downwind. But, they can out sail us. He has a lot of time in the boat and we are still stumbling to get our footing. I will say, Damian has been a very big help getting me up to speed. The class is lucky to have him. Kincsem is also very, very smart on the water. They are experts at turning an inch into a foot. The are several other very good boats and skippers, all using different sails. It makes for good sailing.
Q: The class rules changed awhile back to permit two spinnakers. So some sail makers are now producing both a runner and a reacher. What do you think about this? What do you personally plan to fly downwind on your 105? (I use a runner and a reacher racing my M24. It makes a big difference in light air and in marginal planing conditions. But the M24 is a lot more lively/sensitive boat downwind and the chute is larger in relation to the size of the boat.)
A: I am using two spinnakers, both runners. I would hate to rip my runner and only have a VMG reacher as a back up. The spinnaker is small anyways, so it has to be pretty light for a VMG to really make a difference and it still had to be the same weight cloth. The 105 really needs do it all sails. I like the three sail quiver. This fall, we sailed a lot of races with 8 knot lulls and 18 knot puffs. There is a trend to get specialty sails, but how do you pick for that? Trying to predetermin the conditions and use a specialty sail is very risky. For myself, I need to eliminate that element. The only extra sail I am leaning towards is a heavy jib, San Fran cut, to pull out on those honking days to save the primary sail.
Q: Are you seeing more interest in the class, about the same or less?
A: Used boats are a good deal these days. The boat is still very current and I am seeing a strong interest. The 105 still has the best competition and on a relatively reasonable budget. I already know of another good boat jumping in for next year. [Ed: Paul is referring to Sean Doyle. See story below. Having Sean involved in the class is going to be a big plus for Doyle as a sail maker for J-105s.]
Q: Much of the wisdom about sailing the boat has been around for a long time. You sailed the boat for awhile and recently returned to the class. What do you see racers doing now that wasn't happening before?
A: I don't think much has changed. I am still using the same Doyle tuning guide I wrote 10 years ago. The best drivers and crews are winning the regattas. Win the start, drive fast, the right way and get around the corners. The best thing about this boat is it is pretty easy to sail and I think easy is great. You can sail with your friends and if you get into the game you can be successful.
Q: The class threw out the forestay max measurement a year or so ago. Do you see anyone now going beyond max? Worth trying in light air? How do you set your forestay?
A: My forestay came just over the old max at 13,050. I haven't changed it and don't plan to. I think removing the headstay rule was a mistake. Messing with the forestay is a pain, and, like specialty sails, too risky.
Q: Why buy Doyle? Make the case why you think 105 owners should buy your sails.
A: As a sail maker and a regular sailor, I have to go through the same process as everybody else to get my boat going fast. So, I am walking the walk not just talking the talk. My sails are currently fast and getting faster. By sailing in the fleet, I am around. I can provide very good support and service. I am also a class promoter, fleet builder, and advocate for the J-105. My wish is to have the fleet grow and have everyone sailing fast. Now that's fun.
Feature: A Q&A With Sean Doyle - December 6, 2010
Sean Doyle missed the fleet dinner Saturday night because of a previous commitment he and his wife had made to attend a "bad sweater" party. (Ah, to be young.) That, however, did not stop our intrepid web site from tracking him down and interrogating him about his plans for next season. We didn't need to get out the water board because Sean is a very nice fellow--at least until he gets a tiller in his hand. Sean and his wife Susan recently purchased an Annapolis-based 2003 J-105 named Gringo (hull #629). That's a photo of it to the left. Gringo will sport a new look and a new name in 2011, as Sean explains below. Our guess is this boat will also be posting a lot of low single-digit finishes in its new incarnation. A Q&A with Sean follows:
Question: Why did you decide to jump into a J-105?
Answer: After racing in American's Friday night series last summer, we decided there is life beyond dinghies. We want more time competing with friends not just against them. Talking with and watching area boats, the 105 fleet seems to be a spot where that still exists.
Q: What appealed to you most about the boat and the class?
A: The boat doesn't try to do too much and so is simple enough for us to sail double-handed. The class has both a Corinthian and local focus, which makes racing something we can do with friends in the area.
Q: Least?
A: J-Boats doesn't seem to take much ownership in promoting the class. As co-owner, my wife has noted the non-enclosed head, while drier than a Vanguard's isn't much more luxurious.
Q: Had you been on a 105 before?
A: Yes, a few times as fill-in crew.
Q: What have you been racing?
A: K6s at American this summer showed us just how much fun you can have in a local fleet after a decade on the road team-racing Vanguard 15s.
Q: I know you have a ton of dinghy experience, how about keelboats?
A: My family always had a J-24 growing up in St. Petersburg, FL, and and I've raced a lot of Sonars through NYYC, but the J-105's additional eleven feet should be interesting.
Q: I see that #629 was using Quantum sails. I assume you will be switching to a brand that's more appropriately named. How much do you plan to get involved in the sail making for your boat?
A: As a loyal customer for 22 years, I know service and innovation sets Doyle Sails apart. But I also know designing is an art best left to the professionals, which I am not.
Q: Any story behind the name Kestrel?
A: I chose the boat, and Susan (my wife) chose the name based on a literary reference. She claims a kestrel is a small, agressive falcon that requires a headwind and likes to hover. They like to pick on bigger, stronger birds.
Q: Will Susan be racing with you? Do you have other crew already lined up?
A: Yes, Susan has first rights to any job on the boat from bow to stern. We haven't put any names in stone because we hope to actively use the boat as a propaganda piece for movement to the suburbs and western Long Island Sound.
Q: Will you be keeping the boat close to home? Or do you plan to go on the circuit many of us will be racing (Cedar Point, Block, NYYC, Sail Newport, Wickford, NAs in Marblehead)?
A: We'll be starting closer to home in Rye, and then plan to take a look at events as we learn the boat and develop a crew.
Q: I assume you are mooring the boat at AYC. Correct?
A: Yes, add one to the group there.
Q: Any changes you plan to make to #629?
A: We'll be painting her flag blue and possibly converting to a tiller.
Feature: Will Keyworth Talks J105 Sails - December 6, 2010
Will Keyworth is one of two professionals assigned by North Sails to run its J105 class development program. We recently chatted with Will about North's new reaching spinnaker and 105 racing in general. Full disclosure: the writer of this web site uses North Sails. I do plan to run interviews with other sailmakers in the coming weeks and months. [Note to Joerg: you were right about the J105 moving from a three sail--jib, main, chute--to a five sail--jib, HAjib, main, runner, reacher--boat.] Below is the talk I had with Will, who is reachable at will@sales.northsails.com:
Question: Anything new coming from North for the 105s in 2011?
Answer: No, John, we are really happy with the new designs we developed from 2010 so we don't plan any design changes for 2011 other than some fine tuning of the San Francisco heavy air mainsail shape. Last year we introduced the redesigned CJ-1 class Jib which Per Anderson designed and the very successful VMGForce spin.
Q: You guys have talked about updating your tuning guide. Is that still in the works or do you think the current guide covers the sails you are producing?
A: The tuning guide is really a moving target because the boats set up quite differently from boat to boat. With that said I would like to fine tune the quide a bit more to help sailors better understand what to look for in the rig set up and sail shapes and not be so much about the numbers--since they are all over the place from boat to boat.
Q: What difference in philosophies do you see among sailmakers in the design of J105 sails?
A: All of the successful sailmakers in the J-105 class are actually producing pretty similar upwind shapes and set the rigs up very similar. I feel there is still some experimenting on spin shapes from sailmaker to sailmaker especially now that you can design two spins for different sailing angles as we have done with the VMGForce and the Vforce Runner. The main theme is to build sails that are easy to use and trim and at the same time have good durability. The J-105 Class Association has in my opinion done a good job with the rules to accommodate the durability issue.
Q: Another way of asking that is...is there really much difference between the sails produced by the leading sailmakers?
A: The simple answer is NO. We are all using the same dacrons to build the mains and the 42gram/m2 minimum cloth weight gets us all using the same spin materials. There are some differences in the jib constructions however. I have seen "Fibrepath" sails and paneled sails at regattas from the same sailmaker. At North, we have the advantage of building the sails in our 3DL construction, but all in all each sailmaker knows what the fast shapes look like for the boat and are designing sails to that shape for the J-105.
Q: The class rules changed awhile back to permit two spinnakers. A strong case could be made for carrying a runner and a reacher...and I noticed that you are now selling the latter. Thoughts?
A: I think this rule was passed because since the class has been around for awhile almost everyone had a spare spin laying around. So why not carry it on the boat as a back up? At 42g/m2, the sails are plenty strong so I am not sure it is a heavy air issue. When we all could design only one spin for the boat (before this new rule change) every sailmaker was designing sails that would sail as deep downwind as possible. But the sails were not the best design for the lighter air, lumpy days where you are required to sail hotter angles. Everyone suffered through this with the one spinnaker rule. Now, as I mentioned earlier, we are in the position to design a spin to compliment the "Runner" and be a much better light air "reaching or VMG" spinnaker. Remember the weight of the second spin has to remain at the class min of 42g/m2 so the advantage is all in shape change and not in weight savings like in other classes that allow, say, 30g/m2 sails. I actually sailed on one of the practice days at KW last year in 25 true and we put the VMGForce spin up, heated up to a nice hot angle, and took off. The sail in those conditions was much faster and more controllable than the Runner would have been.
Q: Are you seeing more interest in the class, about the same or less?
A: I think the interest in the class is remaining at a high level. The different fleets around the country are strong and used boats are available a reasonable prices, so the class is still attracting the more entry level type sailors. Like any good OD class it is really up to the fleet leaders and national class officer to keep everyone pumped up and get them out on the water.
Q: What chance do you think we have of seeing new materials used in J105 sails?
A: I don't think this is likely. I know there was some talk about
allowing Aramid for mainsails but there is the issue of durability and cost both a negative for this class and style of sailor. I think things will remain the same and personally don't see any real reason to make a change in that area.
Q: Much of the wisdom about sailing the boat has been around for a long time. Have you seen any trends away from traditional tuning and trimming techniques in the last two or three years?
A: I think the biggest change I have seen in the way the boats are being sailed has more to do with crew work, hiking, weight placement in differing conditions. Crews are definitely more aggressive mechanically in sailing the boat than 2 or 3 years ago.
Q: What advice would you give to a newcomer who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Talk to your sailmaker or one of the local hotshots and learn what
to look for in boat and sail set up. Spend time in the boat learning how to shift gears and practice with so other boats that are going fast till you can match their speed in different conditions. Keep your crew involved with the important aspects of tuning and sailing the boat. Build a good team and go out and have fun together.
Q: Any other insights you'd care to share?
A: Pay attention to the details. Keep the equipment up to snuff and replace things as they wear out. Sheets and halyards won't last forever!! Keep the boat empty of non necessary gear. Clean bottom!!
Q: What question do you get asked the most from 105 racers?
A: Probably the most asked question is about mast butt position and headstay sag. There is a lot of talk about these topics on the web and forums so it gets a lot of people thinking and sometimes confused...my job it to explain it all so that it makes sense.
Q: The class threw out the forestay max measurement a year or so ago. Do you see anyone now going beyond max? Worth trying in light air?
A: I have never seen anyone go past max and the trend has been to to be a bit shorter than max to establish the proper headstay sag. I would guess that since everyone was going shorter there was no more use for a max in the rule as it never really showed any real advantage.
Q: Why buy North?
A: As I mentioned earlier all of the sailmakers active in this class
are doing a really good job with the product. My case for choosing North is based more on the personnel than the product. We are the only sailmaker to have 2 North guys assigned exclusively to the J-105 class. Both Myself and Seadon Wijen on the west coast spend many hours working with the sailors. We also work with the National Class to help with keeping the class strong. We do several two-boat testing programs a year and bring in some of the best talent that North has to offer to keep the product at the top of the leader board. Basically we at North are offering not only a great product, but also
a wealth of information and assistance to help the J-105 sailors in anyway we can to enhance their enjoyment of sailing their boats.
Regatta Committee Formed - December 5, 2010
When the discussion about regatta dates quickly got out of hand at the Fleet 6 dinner (not a good topic for mobs), cooler heads prevailed and, presto, a committee was formed! It consists of Jordan Mindich, John Koten and Bruce Stone. These gentleman will be seeking your input about various options for 2011. Please tell them what you can, even if you aren't fully sure of your plans. Their only goal will be to put together a recommended Fleet 6 race schedule for the year that has the best chance of achieving maximum participation at the maximum number of events.
Season Standings Posted (We Think) - December 5, 2010
Some how, some way we've managed to get the season standings posted on the web site more than a month earlier than in years past. Go to the Racing section at the left and toggle to Season Standings. Minor and probably unnecessary warning: because the results are contained in an Excel file, and because the editor of this site refuses to install Excel on his personal computer, he doesn't actually know whether the file he posted is complete. He knows that it doesn't show his boat in the top five and that's apparently enough. Had his vessel placed higher, the standings undoubtedly would be emblazoned in large type on the home page. Nevertheless, despite our editor's insouciance, the site would like to hear if any readers have problems with the file. Report them to j105planetclaire@gmail.com and we will see if we can concoct something else. Final note: any and all math errors should be blamed on Josh, Pam, and Dan.
Special Offer from PhotoBoat - December 5, 2010
PhotoBoat.com is offering J105 Fleet 6 members a 20% discount on all orders through December 10 with the code: J105 Thanks to Dan Neff for arranging this for our fleet. click here to go to photoboat.com
Strauch: Back from the Brink - December 5, 2010
The owners of Andiamo might not be andiamo-ing away after all. Paul Strauch said at the fleet's annual dinner that, even though he received two acceptable purchase offers for the boat, he ultimately decided he couldn't part either with it or with the opportunity to race with us. "It's true I bought a J-111," Strauch said. "But I am not a defector. I am keeping my 105 and we'll be out there racing it." Andiamo missed the last few races of the season after hitting a rock near Manhasset Yacht Club. Strauch says the boat is getting fixed and will be ready to race again at the beginning of the year. He also claimed that every time his boat hits a rock and is repaired it gets stiffer and faster. Now we just have to convince Andy Gillis to change his mind about selling Jato (which is in excellent condition, by the way).
Fleet #6 Dinner: The Stars Turn Out - December 5, 2010
Shortly after being elected commodore of American Yacht Club, Duncan Hennes found himself in the prize giving role, but at another club's event. This one was the J-105 fleet 6 annual dinner held at the Harlem Yacht Club on City Island on Saturday night.
"The winner of the 2010 fleet championship is the boat with that damn pink chute," Hennes announced, referring, of course, to Damian Emery's Eclipse. (Photo to left shows Emery with championship trophy and crew members Dan Neff and Pam Morris).
Only moments before, Fleet Captain and Master of Ceremonies Emery had presented Hennes and Kincsem with the second place trophy. Third for the season went to a boat that skipped the dinner and that shall therefore remain nameless except that its first three letters are Rev. In fourth was fleet Rookie of the Year Paul Beaudin on Loulou. Fifth went to another dinner no show: Kevin Grainger on Gumption.
Three boats won trophies that were conceived to fool losers into thinking they can win a trophy without finishing in the top five. Andiamo was given an award for "being just out of the money" for its sixth place finish. Planet Claire won "most improved" for finishing seventh on the season. And Marcus Wunderlich of Stratos won the "Penultimate" award.
Turn out at the dinner was well over 60, though many of the fleet's 105s were not represented. It was the first fleet dinner in years and the credit for bringing it back and making it such a fun affair goes to the crew of Eclipse, particularly Pam Morris and Dan Neff. Paul Beaudin arranged for Harlem Yacht Club to host the event.
The top five boats received six beautifully framed 8x10 photos of their boats. All other vessels in attendance received frames and a discounted ticket to purchase a picture from Photoboat.
To see pictures from the dinner, click the link below and then select Fleet #6 Dinner 2010 from the drop down menu. more photos
Fleet #6 Owner Elected Commodore - December 5, 2010
Duncan Hennes, co-owner of Kincsem, was named commodore of American Yacht club on Friday Dec. 3 at the organization's annual meeting. The post previously was held by the late Drake H. Sparkman III, who died in November after an 18-month battle with cancer. Drake's grandfather put the Sparkman in Sparkman Stephens, the famous boat designer that was launched amidst the Great Depression. All of Fleet 6 wishes Duncan well in his new role.
Tuesday Night Series? - December 4, 2010
Check out the Forum for a proposal for a new Fleet #6 Tuesday night series off Execution Rocks. It would be a convenient middle ground starting location for boats coming from Manhasset, Larchmont, AYC, and City Island. Jump into the discussion.
Department of You Learn Something Every Day: Sadly, research conducted by this web site reveals it is not true that the he British used to chain prisoners to Execution Rocks at low tide to drown them. Instead, the origin of the name apparently has a more boring explanation: mariners named the island for what they thought would happen to sailors who crashed into it.
Execution Rocks was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. Construction of the lighthouse was completed in 1849 and it was first lit the following year. A Daboll trumpet was added to Execution Rocks Light on Jan 25, 1869.
Another Support Boat Option - December 3, 2010
This support boat, manufactured by Innespace Productions, may appeal to the lawyers and investment bankers who race J-105s. Imagine driving it up to the beach at AYC. Circling the race committee. Or going for a spin down the East River when the U.N. is in session (we're fairly certain the Coast Guard would hold their fire if they saw the SeaBreacher X coming their way). Indeed, the only real drawback we can imagine is the possibility of attracting the interest of an amorous ocinus orca. Innespace says it will be performing a live demo of the SeaBreacher (it makes another model that looks like a dolphin) at the Saudi Arabia Boat Show, Dec 8-11, in Jeddah--in case any of you happen to be in the neighborhood. Prices start at $65,000 for a standard model.
Click here to view
Light Air: Emery to Deny Existence of Gel at Upcoming Fleet Dinner - December 2, 2010
Sources close to Damian Emery say the Eclipse owner has decided to change his public posture on the subject of his secret gel. "He's going to tell everyone at the fleet dinner that the gel never existed!" one source said.
Emery's decision apparently stems from a recent-closed door strategy session with public relations guru Howard Sherman. Sherman is said to have told Emery to "just blame it all on that jackass who writes for the fleet 6 web site. Say he made it up. Everyone will believe that and it will get this thing off your back."
Indeed, Emery recently has found himself pursued not only by sailors who want the gel, but by a range of others including Delta Air Lines, Chopper 4, and representatives from the Science Office at the U.S. Department of Defense, who see weapons potential in the liquid substance that can turn a J-105 into a flying carpet. ("We could put any enemy in orbit," a DoD official reportedly exclaimed.) Last week, a contestant from television's The Biggest Loser was spotted at Emery's house begging for a vial of the stuff to hide in his sweatpants.
"Damian's best option right now...really his only option...is to simply say that the gel was never anything more than a joke or a hoax," said an Eclipse crew member, who asked not to be identified. "He does not want the flak over this gel thing to detract from his victory speech on Saturday night. He's put a ton of work into it. I even saw him with a Thesaurus." The famed sailboat racer and physicist did not return phone calls seeking comment.
The Fleet 6 dinner will be held this Saturday night at the Harlem Yacht Club. Cocktails, including free beer and wine, start at 6:30. Gate crashers are welcome. [Ed: This is the only paragraph in this story that is true. Or is it?]
Equipment Advisory: Ronstan Turnbuckles Can Break - December 2, 2010
This is from a post by Walt Nuschke today in the forum section on the J-105 national web site:
"A problem with Ronstan turnbuckles has been reported. The attached photo shows a failed turnbuckle that appears to have resulted from faulty stainless steel. This turnbuckle was a retrofit part and failed completely while the boat was at the dock. If this happened under sail the results could be severe.
Anyone who has Ronstan turnbuckles is advised to make an inspection or get one done by a qualified rigger. You should be looking for micro-cracks in the stainless. The most common test for this is magnaflux under UV light but there are other methods."
We've reproduced the photo Walt mentions to the left.
Feature: A Q&A with Liquid Courage's Dan Herron - December 2, 2010
[This is the 22nd installment in a series of interviews with J-105 racers in the Northeast.]
Looking to crew on a J-105? Then email Dan Herron, the owner of Liquid Courage (daniel.herron@mountsinai.org). This is a boat we'd love to see out on the race course more often. As Dr. Dan freely acknowledges in the interview below, however, a scarcity of available crew has kept him from participating in our regattas. Dan is a relative newcomer to the class and is still learning the boat. To us, that seems like a win-win situation for prospective crew who also want to learn how to sail one of these babies: join Dan's team and learn together. He might even give you a discount on an appendectomy! A Q&A with Dr. Herron follows:
Question: Have long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: Bought my boat (hull #186) from Dan Heun 2 seasons ago. Have been learning about racing her since. My racing is largely confined to club races around Manhasset Bay but I am hoping to branch out into some class racing once I develop a regular core crew.
Q: When did you start sailing and what other boats have you raced?
A: My previous boat was a Laser, so stepping up to the 105 was quite a switch! Obviously, there are some MAJOR differences here, but the nimble response of the 105 reminds me a little of the Laser. Luckily, the 105 doesn't death roll quite the same way. I learned how to sail when I was 8, on a Sunfish on Lake Bomoseen in Vermont. I didn't start real racing until I got the 105. So I'm really a newbie!
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: This is my greatest challenge. I have been lucky to learn a lot about the 105 from 2 other 105 owners in Manhasset Bay, Marc Epstein (Vision) and Charlie Cannam (En Garde). I sail with a number of very knowledgable sailors from the Bay, including Marc and Charlie, as well as Adam Bleifeld and several others. However, I have not yet been able to build a regular stable of crew. If anyone is interested, please let me know!
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I am a general surgeon at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan. I specialize in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: I love its responsiveness most. I also love the thoughtful design that went into it--it is easy to learn, easy to maintain (relatively speaking, that is) and lets one focus more on sailing and less on maintenance. Plus, the a-sail is big fun!
Q: Least?
A: The lack of headroom below has led to many a bruise on my balding pate. I love the roachy main, but hate how it always gets hung up on the backstay. Also, my sprit twists when I least want it to. Haven't figured out a fix for that one yet.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: I enjoy the Intercollegiate Regatta, as I get to teach and learn at the same time in a class event. I really enjoy sailing with the college kids, as I have 2 high-schoolers at home.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: That would be me. I would say, sail a lot! As we say in surgery, judgment comes from experience, and good judgment comes from bad experience. The more you sail, the better judgment you have!
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: One learns a lot about the workings of the boat by maintaining the systems, winterizing, etc. yourself, and not hiring someone else to do so. Particularly on a boat that was previously owned by someone else. I replaced the original KVH instruments with a Nexus set and learned quite a bit about the mechanical and electrical systems. Plus, climbing the mast gives you a real appreciation for how tall it is.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Sail trim, rig tuning.
Q: What do you think you could improve on?
A: Pretty much everything.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Have more 1-day regattas. It's easier to get a team together for one day rather than a full weekend (or 2 weekends, for that matter).
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Try to go faster than the other boats. 8^)
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: I'm a much better skier than sailor. Looking forward to some trips to Colorado and Montana this winter.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: Doyle main, jib and genny (for PHRF). North A-sails.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Mix & match.
Q: Is there a story behind the name of the boat?
A: Kept the name that Dan Heun (prior owner) gave it. First of all, didn't want to incur bad luck by changing the name. Second, didn't want to have to get rid of the big decals.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Sail often, sail hard, sail fast. Have fun. And replace all the belts on the Yanmar.
Backstay Alternative - December 1, 2010
The J105 Class executive committee has agreed to discuss a rule proposal that would allow J-105 owners to convert to a mechanical solution for the backstay. One proposed solution was submitted today by Paul Beaudin. See drawing at left. (To make the drawing larger, just click on it.) Paul raced PHRF on a 105 with this same set up in the 1990s...so he knows it works. He estimates the cost of installing the Dyneema backstay would be about $575. For further discussion of this issue, see the folder entitled "backstay" on the fleet #6 forum. Comments are more than welcome. Fleet #6 will be making a presentation to the class ExCom within the next few months. Any change in the rule wouldn't take place until the 2012 season, if at all. Arguments for a mechanical backstay include: safety (helmsman less likely to stumble or slip adjusting the backstay), ability to make quicker adjustments more frequently, maintenance (less expensive to replace parts), and skill development (adjustable mechanical backstays are common on Olympic class and other popular racing boats). Arguments against include cost, the J-105's long history of preserving the original specs for the boat, and difficulty of use.
Light Air: Investigator's Report Says Secret Gel Doesn't Work Upwind - December 1, 2010
WikiLeaks.org today published a confidential report disclosing that the secret gel discovered by Damian Emery is "utterly ineffective" upwind. "All observations to date indicate that use of the gel produces very substantial negative upwind VMG," the report states, adding: "The test boat would rise out of the water and then just blow straight backward at the same speed as the wind."
The leaked document contains the preliminary findings of a private detective hired to investigate Emery's gel by a major New York law firm. In a news release announcing its scoop, WikiLeaks crowed: "Today's publication of the GEL Report represents a new milestone for WikiLeaks. We've finally put something out there that's worth reading."
Given the impotence of the gel upwind, the report speculates that the substance's primary value will be in downwind sailing only. "The trick is to time the gel's active period so that the user doesn't fly right by the leeward mark in a race," the report states.
The investigator writes that he observed Emery testing the gel both on the water and at home: "He'd put a dab of the stuff on his gym shoes and fly around in the yard for five or ten minutes at a time." Emery couldn't be reached for comment about the latest disclosure.
As previously reported, the Eclipse owner, inventor and entrepreneur discovered the secret gel several months ago while messing around with his childhood chemistry set. The gooey liquid can levitate a J-105.
Look Out Everyone! - November 30, 2010
It's getting increasingly hard to believe that the J-105 class isn't going to be the hottest thing going in the Northeast for 2011...at least in keel boats. Not that we weren't already, but consider this: the Fleet 6 web site has learned that Sean Doyle will be racing a 105 next year. Recognize the last name? Yeah, he's one of those Doyles.
We know Sean because he regularly obliterates our ass in frostbiting races at American Yacht Club. (We might know him better if he wasn't always so damn far ahead.) Although this reporter still hasn't figured out how to athletically roll tack a Cook 11 (after months of lame attempts), the maneuver looks like a thing of pure beauty when Sean does it.
In 2002, the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association of North America (ICSA) named Sean its College Sailor of the Year, presenting the Harvard University graduate with the Everett B. Morris Trophy*. Doyle was a finalist for the award the previous year and was named a collegiate All-American three times.
The news release announcing Doyle's win that year had this to say:
"Doyle had a standout senior year with the Crimson placing fifth at last fall's National Singlehanded Championship, then skippering the team to its second straight North American Sloop Championship win. At the spring championships in Hawaii, he helped Harvard to its first-ever ICSA North American Team Race Championship win, which they claimed by posting a perfect 17-0 score. His future sailing plans are to campaign a Vanguard-15 on the team racing circuit. Doyle is the third in a well-known sailing family to earn the coveted College Sailor of the Year honors. His father, Richard, received the accolade his senior year (1970) at Notre Dame, and his uncle, Robbie, won it his senior year (1971) at Harvard. Doyle learned to sail through the junior program at St. Petersburg Yacht Club and cites his father as his biggest influence. 'He never coached me, his example was all I needed.' Graduating with a degree in Economics, Doyle will soon relocate to Connecticut where he will be working for the Louis Dreyfus Corp. as a commodities trader."
*The Morris Trophy is named in memory of the distinguished journalist who spent over thirty years as a yachting writer and editor, most notably with the New York Herald Tribune. He was actively involved in all facets of sailing, and served as President of the Junior Sailing Association of Long Island Sound. Among other things, he wrote the book for the Boy Scouts on how to get a merit badge in sailing. [Ed: This web site leaves no sail unfurled.]
You are Not Allowed to Watch This Video... - November 30, 2010
...if you are among the many wimps who think the sailing season should end in September (or even mid-October).
It's an extremely well-made five-minute film about the 8th Annual Turkey Day frostbiting regatta on the Tom's River in New Jersey. The action is set to the tune Lisztomania by Phoenix. Great pictures. Great song. Pure fun.
(By the way, we'd like to point out that we've yet to have a weekend this Fall that wouldn't have been a very pleasant one for a J-105 regatta. See editorial that appeared on this site November 9.)
The boats in the video are Tech dinghies, which have an interesting history. They were designed for MIT by Professor George Owen around 1935. The original Techs were built of wood by the Herreshoff Yard in Bristol, Rhode Island. In 1953, the first fiberglass Techs were build by Beetle Boat of Cape Cod, and helped pioneer the material that would soon take over the boat building industry. The boats are 12 1/2 feet long, cat rigged, and weigh about 200 pounds. The Tech is a popular boat for racing and one of the most popular of the college racing classes. The boat is so well balanced it is possible to sail without a rudder with only minute adjustments to trim.
Video: No Wimps Allowed
Feature: A Q&A With Conundrum's Jeremy Henderson - November 30, 2010
[This is another in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
Jeremy Henderson and Harald Edegran began the season the way all of us would like to when they crossed the finish line first to begin the AYC Spring Series. The Conundrum team had ended 2009 in impressive fashion, capturing a sixth at the North American championships, and they seemed to carry that momentum into this year. They finished 4th in the Spring Series, were 8th at the East Coast Championships, and finished 6th at the Larchmont NOOD. Unfortunately, Conundrum's season was cut short when a still-unidentified boat broke loose during a storm and hit Conundrum on its mooring at Larchmont. The team will be back in action in 2011 and says it hopes to sail in even more events than it did this year. Below is a brief Q&A with Henderson:
Question: Have long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: We bought Conundrum in 2002 and started racing her that summer.
Q: When did you start sailing and what other boats have you raced?
A: I started sailing in an old Sailfish (predecessor of the Sunfish) and began racing dinghies on Martha's Vineyard as a 10 year old, in the Edgartown Yacht Club junior sailing program. I raced a Laser as a teenager and later a Shields. In college I raced the range of dinghies sailed by different programs, from Interclubs to Larks. I've raced from time to time on big boats (including some spectacular 12 meter charters in Larchmont), but the 105 is the largest boat I've owned.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Originally there were four in our syndicate of owners, now down to two (Harald Edegran and me), but we still sail when we can with the other two original owners, Mike Puleo and Tony Leggett. Our regular bowman is Dave Epstein and we have a rotating crew for the other spots.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I'm a retired investment banker who spends a lot of time now doing non-profit board work.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: The reasonable cost relative to the high level of amateur racing, the strict one-design rules of the class, the excellent competition, and the simplicity of the boat which puts the emphasis on sailing skill rather than spending money and hiring pros.
Q: Least?
A: Not much. The boat is pretty slow in very light air. The engine can be a pain in the butt (we had significant--and expensive--engine problems in Newport this year).
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: We really had fun at NYYC Race Week this past summer, and we always enjoyed the NOOD partly because our home club was the host (sadly, no longer).
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Sail with the same crew as often as possible, buy new sails, and watch closely what the fleet leaders are doing.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: It's a very competitive fleet so one mistake can cost you a lot of places--avoiding obvious mistakes can make a big difference in how you finish.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: We improved our boat speed downwind and tried to avoid sailing too much to the corners upwind.
Q: What do you think you could improve on?
A: Consistency in different wind conditions! And heavy air boat speed.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Continue to build the fleet to help guarantee good turnout for different events throughout the season. The website is a great source.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Concentrate and stay focused (the goal is to do well, of course), but having fun and good sportsmanship is as important as anything else...
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Skiing, tennis, keeping up with two adolescent children.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: We look at everything we can find, then adjust for our own experience with our own boat and sails.
Q: Is there a story behind the name of the boat?
A: It was a group decision (for better or worse)-- the idea was that you often are faced with a "conundrum" when racing (e.g., start at the boat or the pin, go right or left, tack now or later, etc.)...
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Not sure yet. Hopefully enter as many or more events than last year, get up to Marblehead for the NA's, and find a way to keep balancing racing with family and other obligations.
In the Market for a Support Boat? - November 29, 2010
Have to get back to the dock quick for that HA jib? Just ran out of Fluffer Nutter? Want to know what the wind is doing up at the windward mark? Need to race one of your crew to the emergency room again? Or do you just have a James Bond complex? Kotaro Horiuchi may have come up with the solution to all your support boat needs. (Note: Having a James Bond complex is prohibited under class rules.) Awesome Support Boat Video With Equally Awesome Music
Light Air*: Emery/Sherman in Secret Weekend Talks - November 29, 2010
Damian Emery spent part of the weekend in closed-door meetings with public relations guru Howard Sherman (Strange Brew), Fleet 6 has learned. A source close to Emery said that the J-105 owner recently retained Sherman to help him cope with the mounting press coverage over his invention of a secret gel. Another source, however, claims the topic of the meeting had nothing to do with the gel. "Damian hired Howard to help him with the victory speech he plans to deliver at the upcoming fleet dinner," the source said. "They went over it for hours and hours." Emery did not return phone calls from a reporter seeking clarification.
*Light Air stories are fictitious news reports inserted as filler when there isn't much else to write about or the editor just feels like it.
Feature: A Q&A With Skal's Paul Zajac - November 29, 2010
[This is the 20th installment in a series of interviews with J-105 racers in the Northeast.]
Paul Zajac is the new captain of Fleet #10, which represents boats in Northern New Jersey and New York Harbor. His J-105, Skal, moored at the Raritan Yacht Club, is always a top contender in Fleet #10 regattas. Paul also usually makes a trip up to the Sound at least once a year to race with us. He and the other J-105 owners in Fleet #10 have been trying to find a way to organize a regatta that would lure boats from our fleet. 2011 may be the year they succeed. Below is a short Q&A with Paul:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: Four years
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: OLSON 25; 2005
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Daughter Alexa (pit), son Christopher (foredeck, if he's in town), RYC friends, including Marvin Clawson (trim, tactics and any position), Jeff Steuber (trim, tactics and any position), Trevor VonKaenel (main, foredeck), Chris Peterson (foredeck), Tim Forgione (pit, trim)
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: CFO, COO & Partner at the boutique institutional equity trading firm, Themis Trading LLC.
Q: How come we didn't see you more often in the Sound this year?
A: Distance. Usually come up once a season for a single weekend regatta like the NOOD. Also, I had little free time this summer because it was a challenging year in the brokerage industry
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: Easy sailing, great OD fleet/people, and relatively simple design/sail plan, smaller crew.
Q: Least?
A: Light air performance, especially during mixed PHRF fleet races at my club
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: On Long Island Sound it's the NOOD because it's a single weekend race with great competition of +15 boats. In our area, my favorite is the RYCs Red Grant Regatta because it has the largest one-design start in bay and a great party. [Ed: Red Grant is a really fun event and usually attracts about 10 J-105s. Glitch: it almost always occurs on one of the weekends of the AYC Fall Series.]
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Study the class website and forum, use sail maker tuning guides, get sail maker advice, get to know other fleet member (we love to talk about our experiences), crew on other boats, join an active fleet/yacht club, keep it simple especially with spinnaker use, and sail deep downwind.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Preserve boat speed with smooth turns, dont be afraid to foot off, especially in light air.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Not much
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: I am focused on getting my fleet to organize a New York Harbor regatta that would attract both Fleet 10 and Fleet 6 boats. It is a very cool spot to host a sailboat race, not to mention a good venue for a party.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Have fun, use steady crew, keep it simple to avoid mistakes, and have good sandwiches.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Cycling, XC skiing, and running
Q: What sails do you use?
A: Mostly Ullman
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Yes, I use the guide, then try to use mast shape to finish.
Q: Any story behind the name of your boat?
A: skl is Danish for cheers. I got the boat, my wife got to pick the name.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: Other sports, boat work.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Newer sails, finally get a sail maker out to tune boat, improve main trimming, get better at racing in higher winds/waves, and get out to the race course earlier.
Strauch Defects to J-111 "Class"; Gillis to Bikes - November 28, 2010
Fleet #6 regrets to report that Paul Strauch has crossed over to the dark side by purchasing a J-111. The now former owner of the J-105 Andiamo explained the move by saying only that he decided he "wanted a change after the Fall Series." Strauch's departure is a loss to the fleet, but we wish him well in his new vessel and hope Andiamo finds a good home--preferably in Fleet #6.
Andy Gillis also told us he is trying to sell Jato. He blames too many scheduling conflicts between Fleet #6 races and his bicycle racing. Gillis says Jato is in "excellent shape" and well equipped. (If you know someone interested, have them contact Andy directly or write to the Fleet #6 web site via j105planetclaire@gmail.com.) Jato didn't race during the 2010 season. Andy also will be missed.
Favored Tack: A Book You Really Ought to Read - November 26, 2010
The sport of sailing (and sailboat racing) isn't nearly as popular today as it was in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when interest in the U.S. peaked. Sailing also isn't nearly as popular as it was just ten years ago. Participation is down 40% (not a misprint) since 1999. Today, the ranks of Americans who sail are far outnumbered by those who once owned a boat but are no longer involved in the sport.
What explains this? (Other than the fact that people are damn idiots.)
If your answer was the economy, you'd be partly right, but you'd also be missing the larger picture that is eloquently painted in the book "Saving Sailing." While many of us tend to look only at what is happening in our own class or fleet, author Nick Hayes interviewed more than 1,000 sailors to arrive at his explanation for why so many fewer people are venturing out in sailboats of all kinds.
One of the things you'll like most about this book is its insight not only into the sport's problems, but the three factors that made it so popular in the first place: 1.) the invention of fiberglass 2.) the example of Jack and Jackie Kennedy and 3.) an increasingly prosperous generation that still valued social activity over the accumulation of material goods.
This book is a pleasure to read and you'll not only find yourself nodding your head throughout, but also inspired with new ideas about how to share and promote our fabulous sport. And don't say you don't have the time. It won't take you more than three hours to sail through this book. The price is less than 15 bucks. Link to Amazon's page for Saving Sailing
Feature: An Interview With Tolo's Norman Kilarjian - November 26, 2010
[This is another installment in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
If this web site were to give an award to the friendliest J105 on the water (at least before the racing starts), we'd pick the crew on Norm Kilarjian's Tolo. The smiles on their faces always make them a welcome presence in our races and serve as a reminder that one of the reasons we all do this is to have fun! Kilarjian is excessively modest in the interview that follows, for Tolo has been showing steady improvement. It nabbed a 3rd and a 4th against a tough fleet in the Manhasset Bay Fall Series, proving that it's actually possible to compete and smile simultaneously in a J105. Here's the Q&A with Norm:
Question: Have long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: Thats actually a good question! Hopefully by the end of 2011 we will be able to refer to what we normally do out there as racing. Seriously though, our first season with the 105 was 2006.
Q: When did you start sailing and what other boats have you raced?
A: I first sailed as a kid, at maybe 8 or so and mostly Hobie Cats, Sunfish etc. I got to sail on a few big boats in my teens, but only really started sailing regularly when I bought the first Tolo, a Ranger 33, in 2001. Ive also raced on J/24s, J/109s, Swan 44s & 45s, Swan 53 (chartered for the 06 Centennial Bermuda Race), Soverel 33, a few 12-meters, Express 37, S2 9.1.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: I have a core group of friends I normally sail with, some are sailors and some are just learning. We have a much longer list that we try to draw from at times to fill spots and add experience. Were still trying to build the team to the point where the crew for each race is more consistent.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: Im a partner in Aksia, a specialist hedge fund consultant/adviser.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: I really love how the long line of transoms looks from way back in the fleet. Its a great view that I hope to change! I also like the simplicity, the way the boat feels going downhill in 20+ kts and the fact that it also doubles as a great daysailer.
Q: Least?
A: Its kind of pokey in really light air, but I try to race OD mainly so its not that big a deal. New sail shapes and a very loose rig help for those times we do race against other designs.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Id have to say Block and, even though were not going this year, KWRW in January is pretty appealing!
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: If you find yourself heading the same way as Tolo, tack or gybe immediately! Oh, and learn to tune the rig
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Id say the two most important things are rig tune and balance. The crew should always try to tune into the boat and be active on the rail to help keep the heel angle as consistent as possible.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: We did a great job designing the crew gear this year best looking stuff in years and everyone loved it! Other than that we made lots of progress in building the team towards more coordination and consistency.
Q: What do you think you could improve on?
A: Everything except of course for the crew gear! Seriously, it's been a tough couple of years personally and maintaining the level of commitment has been challenging. I'm looking forward to 2011. We have the basic building blocks, we just need to work on better coordination, shifting gears better and overall racecourse recon.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: I think the fleet has been doing a great job, and it seems participation is the single most important common interest for every owner. There are many reasons why people dont participate in events, but lack of available crew should never really be one of them. The fleet site has a crew-finder, but a more proactive approach to reaching out to boats that may need crew and in a sense playing match-maker may help.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: We try to keep it simple and have fun even when someone accidentally deploys a sea anchor and nobody notices!
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Skiing, brewing, running, tennis
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK, not sure for 2011
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Somewhere between the tuning guide and totally random
Q: Is there a story behind the name Tolo?
A: Yes its a tribute to a great friend whos spirit is aboard every time we go out.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Well be doing the same local schedule, as well as Block. Were hoping that we can get a credible weeknight series together so we dont have to do EBYRA (PHRF) again.
Feature: A Q&A With Two Feathers Owner Mark Masur - November 24, 2010
[Ed: This is another installment in a series of interviews with J105 owners in the Northeast. We seem to have come to the Native American-themed section as our previous Q&A was with Tonto.]
Mark Masur is crazy even by Texas standards. Why? Because if he hasn't already done it, he will one day set the record for most highway miles on a J105. Year after year, he's hitched his boat, Two Feathers, to a big Dodge pickup and hauled it from the Lone Star state all of the way to the Northeast to race against the likes of...well...us. In 2010, Masur's team appeared at Block Island Race Week, did all three of the Narraganset Bay regattas, hit the North Americans in Chicago, and then returned home. None of this seems to teach this ever-cheerful sailor a lesson; he promises us he'll be doing it all over again in 2011. A brief Q&A with Masur (whose name is pronounced like the ideal profession for a J105 crew) follows:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: We've been at it five years.
Q: When did you start sailing and what other boats have you raced?
A: I suppose my first experience under sail was on a styrofoam boat at camp when I was six or seven...I sailed it until it broke in two. Come to think of it, that's not unlike my experience on Two Feathers.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: We have Daryl Bowen from Dallas, alias HPAD...that is High Performance Apparel Daryl. A regular GQ in foulies. Then there is Jolene... my wife, who gave her all in Chicago and is laid up with broken ribs. We have two contenders from North Carolina, Dave Furna and Lee King who speak in the language of the old South, which comes in handy in the protest room. Then there is Ed Dodds from Dallas who calls tactics for me when he hasn't been poached by another member of the tribe who shall go unnamed and who recently bought a Viper (no overlapping regattas... yeah yeah yeah).
Now, who have I left out this year?...feels like the Academy Awards...forget 'em at your own peril. There is Dave and Mark from Vermont and Dave and Mike from Dallas and DJ, Sean and Tom from Connecticut and Joe and Phil from Corpus and Mark from North Carolina and Mark from Jamestown [Ed: Music begins to play here.] and Preston and Travis from Houston.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I am a partner in a venture capital firm, Silver Creek Ventures, which we formed in the early 90's.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: The binnacle... great place to put your feet.
Q: Least?
A: The fuel system... more air than diesel after a hard day on the water.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Well, it has to be the West Passage Regatta... Well run, and you meet the nicest people there! [Ed: Aw shucks. Wait...You did mean me, right?]
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: I don't know. I'll tell you when I get there.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Follow Bruce Stone at your own peril.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Winning protests. We have the win percentage up to 8.6%. Seriously, I just started driving better in everything except certain New England waves that require three generations of residence to master.
Q: What do you think you could improve on?
A: Starts.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Turn two-day regattas into three-day day regattas. That is the only improvement I can think of... it would be 50% better then.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Serious fun, in that order.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Ski racing.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: North.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: We have not deviated far from the guide with success. We have deviated from the guide.
Q: Is there a story behind the name of your vessel?
A: Yes. Many stories. Few are true. Actually, it is the name of one of my wife's ancestors, a Comanche chief from the Llano Estacado in West Texas.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: It's not a plan. It's a mission. I want to beat Planet Claire. [Ed: Hoyt Masur, one of Mark's brothers, crews regularly on Planet Claire. Note to Mark: Your mom recently told me that she pulls for us.]
Feature: An Interview With the J-105 Class President - November 24, 2010
Bernard Girod races J105 hull #604, Rock & Roll, in Southern California, where he currently leads in the Fleet #8 2010 standings. He's also president of the class association, a job he inherited earlier this year from Fleet #6's Joerg Esdorn. Since we've never met the man, we decided to chase him down and throw a few questions his way about the state of the class and his own priorities as current big cheese. (Apologies for the fuzzy picture to the left, but Bernie apparently doesn't like to hold still).
Question: Tell us about your backround with the class.
Answer: I purchased my first J/105 in 1999 and started racing it that year. About five years ago, I joined the national organization as an At-Large Officer. In that capacity, I chaired the search for a new class secretary when Nelson Weideman decided to retire. In 2009, I accepted the nomination for class VP and became President earlier this year.
Q: What do you find is your biggest challenge in leading the class?
A: The primary challenge of the J/105 class is similar to that of every other class. In the last couple of years, participation has dwindled due to the difficult economic conditions. This is particularly true of participation in out-of-town events. Local events, however, continue to thrive. And we are usually the largest OD fleet in most events nationwide.
Q: Any pleasant surprises?
A: Yes, many. Owners love the boat and continue to support the class. I am also amazed at the tremendous dedication of the class officers who spend countless hours to promote the class and resolve class issues.
Q: What are your top 3 priorities?
A: First is to do all we can to get participation back up by working with the local fleets. Second is to continue to improve the boat a little bit each year while keeping costs down. Third is to facilitate chartering nationwide so as to reduce travel costs. We have a very large fleet of 675+ boats and should be able to find boats for charter in every location.
Q: Do you communicate with J/Boats to discuss joint efforts to support the 105? Anything new coming up in that area?
A: J/Boats are always helpful and supportive. But we should recognize that the class has matured and there is little financial incentive for J/Boats--only four J/105s were built in the last year. So the primary support comes from the national organization and local fleets. But they do help us resolve matters such as the use of logos and technical issues.
Q: Any trends you see with regard to interest in the 105?
A: There is continuing interest in the boat as judged by the sale of used boats. A number of new owners have joined the class and are racing actively. The boat is very strong, safe and lively. Today, you can buy a good 105 for about $100K and go racing immediately. The sails are affordable, it does not take a lot of crew, and there is a good competition in every part of the country.
Q: There are a lot of J/105 owners who have fallen below the radar. Any plans to reel them back in?
A: Approximately 675 boats have been built. Class registration is 261, so 414 boats have fallen under the radar. We have begun a survey to find out who they are and where they are. Unsurprisingly, they tend to be concentrated around the biggest fleets, i.e. New England, Chesapeake and California.
Q: Any advice you'd give a fleet that wants to improve participation?
A: I would focus on the social aspects, fun. Simplify the local rules to make it easy for people to race. For local races, increase or eliminate the crew weight limitations. Let boats use a sail maker or pro once in a while for training purposes. Schedule social events after racing. You can learn so much at the bar and it builds camaraderie. Help new owners with crew.
Q: What do you like best about the 105?
A: The 105 is very user friendly. I have owned much larger and smaller boats, but I find that I sail more with the 105 than with any other boat I have owned. It's a good performer in all conditions and can take the big breeze. It's a simple boat which does not require a lot of crew. You can always find a good local fleet to race against in one-design configuration.
Q: Least?
A: The 105 has very few flaws if any. Given that I sail in Southern California, I wish it had slightly better performance in very light air (under 6 knots TWS) using the small class jib. But with the annual improvements in sail design, we find that we can stay with all but the very lightest boats in all conditions.
Q: Anything else going on that 105 owners should be aware of?
A: There are several newer designs on the market that aim to compete directly with the 105. But they usually cost a great deal more, often allow pros, and require you to race under a handicap system for many years until sufficient numbers are built for a OD class. In my experience, nothing will spoil your fun more than racing under PHRF or some other handicap system. It will be many years, if ever, before any class of 35ft boat builds 675 boats.
Lastly, I am very excited about the upcoming North American championships in Marblehead (2011) and San Diego (2012). Both are wonderful places to sail and I expect we will have great participation.
Light Air*: Espo Hires Web Detective to Track Down Nincompoop(s) - November 23, 2010
J-29 Owner John Esposito, claiming he's been the victim of a massive conspiracy, has hired an internet security expert to track down the "person or persons" who stole his web identity and posted thousands upon thousands of idiotic comments online under his name. "It must be a whole gang of them," the Hustler captain fumed. "There are just too many moronic postings for one person to have made them all."
As an example, Espo points to the hundreds of snot-nosed posts about J105s that appear under his name on the website Sailing Anarchy. "It's almost hard to believe anyone would believe I wrote that stuff," he says. "I love the J105s. They are sailed by great sailors...and...well...some of them do keep keep me company from time to time...but that's no reason to slander a whole class."
Esposito also is said to be weighing a lawsuit against Sailing Anarchy for its role in facilitating the internet impersonators. "Doesn't anyone there edit any of this crap?" he complains. "I want this conspiracy of dunces stopped."
*Light Air features obviously fake news that could never really happen except in the imagination of the author.
Lone Ranger Unmasked: A Q&A With Tonto's Fred Darlington - November 23, 2010
[Note: This is the 17th installment in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
Only a few fleet 6 crews encountered Fred Darlington's Tonto in 2010. But those who did (all of them Long Rangers, ha ha) had to wonder: Where did this guy come from? This year was Darlington's first in the boat. But his inexperience in the class hardly showed. Tonto placed fourth overall in the three-regatta Narraganset Bay Championship and it nabbed seventh at the East Coasts. And here's some news: Next season, fleet #6 owners won't have to travel at all to see Darlington. That's because, he says, he'll be bringing Tonto down to do battle with us in the Western Sound. Following is a Q&A with the masked man:
Question: Have long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: We purchased the boat last February and launched her in April 2010.
Q: When did you start sailing and what other boats have you raced?
A: I started sailing at 10 or 11 years old and have raced lots of different boats from lasers to big boats. We had a pretty successful J-27 program for a while.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: I sail with a group of friends that have been together on various boats for a while.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I am responsible for engineering at a large defense company.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: So simple to race
Q: Least?
A: No headroom
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: I had a blast at all of the events we entered in 2010, but I guess the NYYC regattas are at the top.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to
speed quickly?
A: Sail the boat a lot and also go out with other owners and ask a ton of questions
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: The rig tune is incredibly important. [Ed: Did Fred mention above that he knows something about engineering? Oh yes, I see he did.]
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Well this was our first year so we just tried to get better with every race. That didn't always work! [Ed: Picture shows Tonto lost in fog--probably somewhere around Pt. Judith. Ok, I'll stop butting in with my interruptions.]
Q: What do you think you could improve on?
A: Starts, holding my lane, and downwind driving.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Make it simple for other owners to participate.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Try to have fun and don't take it so seriously. Of course, first at the weather mark....
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Skiing, ice hockey [Ed: Ah! A soul mate! Ok, I lied about not interrupting. Just did a 720 in my den.]
Q: What sails do you use?
A: The boat came with North and I frankly haven't made a decision on next year's suit yet.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: I follow the tuning guide and usually modify it for sea state.
Q: Is there a story behind the name Tonto?
A: Not really. We made a list of cool names and this one stuck. [Ed: Silver was out because there already are too damn many 105s named after horses.]
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: We are gearing up for a full schedule starting and finishing at American Yacht Club (Rye) with the BIRW and the NA's in between. [Ed: Get out your six shooters, Fleet 6.]
Feature: A Q&A With Jouster's Julian Croxall - November 22, 2010
[This is the 16th in an ongoing series of interviews with J105 owners in the Northeast.]
Julian Croxall fancies himself as something of a Medieval knight at the helm of his 105 (so watch out for that pointy thing at the bow!) Croxall's Jouster was a newcomer to Fleet 6 events this year. He bought the boat two years ago, joined Larchmont Yacht Club, and eventually gave his 105 (formerly Synergy) a complete makeover, including a sharp dark blue Awlgrip hull. A brief Q&A with Julian follows:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: I bought the boat at the beginning of the 2009 and spent the season just getting a feel for it without refreshing any sails or hardware. For 2010 we completely refitted the boat, it's quite different now!
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: I started dinghy sailing in England aged 8, since then I've sailed numerous dinghies, large keelboats and tall ships. Since moving to the US in 2001 I've spent 8 seasons on a J24 as well as other boats in various events up and down the East coast.
Q: It looks like you've done a lot with Jouster. Can you tell us a bit about your refit?
A: It was quite a rush getting everything done for the start of the season, in fact painting the hull with Awlgrip had to be done three times to get it right so we missed the AYC Spring series. The other major items were new UK sails and electronics. Aside from that, an interior refit including a new cabin sole, head & holding tank, replaced the spinlocks, many lines and a whole host of cosmetic upgrades and repairs.
Q: Who is in your crew?
A: Mainly friends I've known for a number of years, not all with sailing experience
Q: Are you still looking for a partner?
A: Yes, still looking for two partners. I'd like to move around the boat more instead of driving all the time so having a syndicate with two other owner/drivers would work well for me. Hopefully that will also help us raise experienced crew for events as that is something I've been struggling with since buying the boat. Every event we have a different crew which means our results haven't been as consistent as I'd like.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I manage technology for hedge funds.
Q: What do you like most about the 105 so far?
A: It's my first sprit boat and I enjoy the ease of use. When not racing I'm usually single-handed so it's an ideal set-up for me. The local OD events are well attended and the other owners have been incredibly helpful getting me started.
Q: Least?
A: It's a little limited for cruising although it's that simplicity that helps to make it a good race boat. I'm planning to get a cruising boat too so then I'll have the best of both worlds.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: I always enjoy Larchmont Race Week, it's a great social occasion being my home club. The Larchmont NOODS were great this year, as was AYC fall series, both due to the level of participation. I think we had 20 105's in the division.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class trying get up to speed quickly?
A: Sail on other 105's with the their owners to get some tips, see if you can get your sailmakers to come out and talk to you about trim for your particular sails, think about how you will get experienced crew on a consistent basis.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: This year with all the upgrades we really found the groove- great boat speed both up and down wind. Our biggest problem now is crew consistency, we lose out at the marks and in tacks on boat handling as we don't have enough regular crew to execute those maneuvers smoothly every time.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: I'd like to see a weeknight OD series.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: We're out there to have a good time-we like to strive for good results but it's more important to develop the team and ensure everyone's enjoying their time on the boat.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Too many! Classic cars, motorcycles, snowboarding, cycling, brewing......the list goes on
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: I follow the guide at the moment....
Q: Any story behind the name Jouster?
A: I always find it really difficult to choose a boat name but this came fairly easily-seeing the boat with the sprit extended reminded me of a jousting pole, from the medieval sport of jousting.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: At LYC we sail CR914 models through the winter. They are a scaled-down version of an earlier America's Cup boat. It's actually really difficult to do well! It's good for tactical training as you get a good perspective of where the boats are on the course and we get around 10-12 starts in our 2 hour slot which is good practice. It's great fun for a couple of hours on a Saturday morning and we usually have spare boats if anyone wants to come along and give it a try. This year I've also picked up an Interclub for frostbiting at Larchmont which is proving to be good fun too.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Pretty much the same as this year, hopefully with a couple of partners.
Light Air*: Rugg Says to Hell With the Gel - November 20, 2010
At least one J-105 owner hasn't gotten swept up in the craze over Damian Emery's secret gel. He's Jaded owner Peter Rugg. "Gel schmel," Rugg snorts. "If god had meant for me to fly he would have bought me a private jet."
That doesn't mean the wily Rugg is sitting on his heels. In an exclusive interview, he disclosed he recently hired Mondo Guerra to design a suit of sails for his boat next year. No, Mondo doesn't work at North, Doyle, Quantum, Ullman or even UK. He was the runner-up in last season's Project Runway.
Rugg, whose sailing motto is "have fun, look good, place well--in that order" (see Q&A Feature below), said he made the decision to hire Mondo shortly after flinging a bottle of beer at his tv set during Project Runway's season finale. "I just lost it. I went crazy. I was so upset I smashed a perfectly good bottle of Rolling Rock," Rugg says. "Mondo never should have been runner-up. He was by far the most talented." Rugg notes that Heidi Klum (shown above and to the left wearing one of Mondo's designs) also clearly thought Mondo was the best, but was over-ruled by Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.
The Jaded skipper says it doesn't bother him in the least that Mondo has never designed a sail. "On the show, he made this really fabulous pants suit out of just a napkin and some tinfoil. Anyone who can do that can make J-105 sails."
With Mondo now in his camp, Rugg believes Jaded will clearly be the boat to beat..at least for style in 2011. "I don't even care whether the sails measure in," he says. "I just know we're going to look damn spectacular out there...way better than Strange Brew."
Coming Up: Damian fixes his statue.
*Back by popular demand. (Bet you never guessed you'd see Heidi Klum on our web site.)
Letters to the Editor - November 19, 2010
The Fleet 6 website is working with our website host to make it possible for readers to comment directly on stories on the homepage. This make take awhile to get going. In the meantime, we have created a folder on the forum for your feedback--about anything having to do with the site or the stories it publishes. If you have feedback (or news or a story) that you don't wish to post, you can email j105planetclaire@gmail.com. Comments that we think are news worthy on the forum may be moved to or mentioned on the home page.
Now is a good time to share your thoughts because they will be read! Interest in the site is running at an all time high. The graf to the left shows traffic to the fleet #6 site over the past 12 months. In the past 30 days, the site has had more than 1,000 visitors (mostly from our area, but also from all over the U.S. and Canada). No joke!
It's also a good time to share your views because there are a lot of decisions that will need to be made, especially regarding the 2011 racing schedule. We'll only be able to put together the best possible experience for everyone if you share your opinions. (We've yet to hear anyone say that they deliberately seek out only those regattas with low participation to race in.)
We're getting a lot of good (well, mostly good) feedback at the site. Class President Bernie Girod, for example, called the Fleet 6 website "fantastic" and asked us how other fleets could replicate it. Some of the most enthusiastic comments have come from crew members in the fleet because the site gives them a way to know what's going on. They have just as much interest as owners in seeing us maintain a lively and fun community.
More Reaction to Quantum's Coup - November 19, 2010
The news that Kerry Klingler is moving from UK to Quantum has stirred considerable reaction, including a very long and classically idiotic string on Sailing Anarchy (link posted below. Warning: Reading it may kill some of your brain cells).
Competing sail makers said the move should stir new competition in the J105 class. Paul Beaudin at Doyle said that sailmaker is stepping up its J105 development program with a particular eye toward the North American championships in Marblehead. At North Sails, Will Keyworth congratulated Quantum for catching up to where it was a decade ago.
Keyworth explained: "We have had a JBoat division for the last 10 plus years. This part of North Sails is called CSD (Class Sail Development). We have sail specialist in every J Boat class from J-22's all the way up to the J-122 and as of now we are the only sail maker working directly with J Boats on the sail development for the new J-111. So bottom line is they are assigning one guy...granted a good guy..but we have several really good guys assigned to every J Boat class to serve the sailors in the class, the class administrators and to help keep the cutting edge of sail development for that class in North's headlights...We have a 'team'... Q has Kerry."
Link to Sailing Anarchy string on Klingler (whose name is misspelled repeatedly)
Klingler Jumps to Quantum - November 18, 2010
Ah, now we know why Kerry Klingler has been dodging our interview requests and why his name and profile suddenly disappeared from the web site run by UK Halsey on City Island. (We will redouble our efforts to talk to Klingler now.)
On Tuesday, Quantum Sail Design Group took a big step forward in its efforts to sell more sails to J Boat owners by hiring Klingler away from UK/Halsey. Klingler has been instrumental in working with some of the top racers in our class to make their boats go fast. He's probably the biggest reason fleet #6 owners have bought more UK sails than any other brand.
In a news release posted on its web site, Quantum said it is establishing a new J Boats division that will be headed by Klingler, a J/80 World and North American champion. The announcement quotes Ed Reynolds, president, saying that the move by the Traverse City, MI.-based company reflects its "commitment to serving one of the largest and most active sailing communities in the world. We recognize the loyalty J Boat owners have for their brand and their interest in high-performance sails backed by the greatest level of expertise and support. We believe J Boat owners deserve this level of dedication to their sailing needs and with our already strong track record we are uniquely positioned to provide it."
Klingler will head a team that includes Terry Flynn (Quantum Seabrook), Tim Healy (Quantum Newport), Scott Nixon (Quantum Atlantic), and Nic Bol (Quantum Holland), all winners of multiple J Boat national and world championships. The Quantum news release quoted Klingler as saying: "I am in the enviable position of working with Quantum to build upon this success and deliver even greater value to J Boat customers through an expanded product line and a higher level of support." The news release did not say where Klingler would be based. [Ed: Geez...it's annoying to have to fix the typos and mistakes I see in so many press releases. But I do it.]
None of the 105s in the Northeast that we know of sport Quantum Sails. Quantum, however, has made inroads in Fleet #1 on San Francisco Bay. Donkey Jack won the NAs two years ago in that heavy air venue with Quantum Sails. (I've also noticed Quantum making inroads into the M24 class. This year's NA's was won by a boat with Quantum and the owner, an amateur sailor, couldn't say enough about his sails or the personal help he had received from his Quantum sailmaker.)
Klingler has been replaced at UK's City Island loft by Jeff Tyrrel. UK's web site offers this bio of Tyrrel: "There are few sailors with the experience and knowledge of Jeff Tyrrel. He was the navigator on boats that were first and third Overall in the Newport - Bermuda Jeff Tyrrel Race , he has sailed all the way around the world in the Europa '92 rally, he ran his own rigging company for 10 years in New Rochelle, and he set up and ran the UK-Halsey's membrane facility for five years. Based on western Long Island Sound, his whole life, he has raced extensively including over a two dozen Vineyard races over 10 Bermuda races and he has probably raced around Stratford Shoal 100 times. If you are a racer or a cruiser, Jeff has the experience and the knowledge to make your boat a better boat and to help you choose the right sails for your needs." [Ed: Didn't do anything with this one. Too much of a lost cause. It's actually hard to believe a real honest-to-god business would post such malarkey on its site.]
Is UK City Island adopting a cruising/distance racing focus and moving away from one deign? I don't know about you, but the Tyrrel bio above and the move in general doesn't leave this observer inspired as a potential UK customer for J105 sails. Expect to see a lot more North, Ullman and Quantum sails on the race course.
In fact, at least one top racer already has made the decision to go where Kerry goes: Joerg Esdorn. Joerg's partnership with Kerry over the years is one reason why UK was able to build such terrific 105 sails.
Obviously Fake News*: Massive Pileup at Emery's Last Remaining Tree - November 17, 2010
It was bound to happen, par for the course, another day of racing J105s...etc.
The illustration to the left captures the story of what happened moments before five J105s simultaneously collided next to a tree in Damian Emery's front yard. Although it may take some time to sort out all of the facts, we can already sum up the claims that will be presented by each of the skippers at a special protest hearing (primarily to settle insurance issues) scheduled for early December.
1. Statos. Skipper Marcus Wunderlich says he called for room from Bottle Rocket to avoid hitting an obstruction. "I looked up and there was this large statue right ahead of me," Wunderlich says. "So I yelled for room to change course." He says that when Bottle Rocket failed to respond, he ended up hitting both it and the statue. "We scraped some gelcoat off of Bottle Rocket and knocked the word 'Greatest' off the statue, which turned out to look exactly like Damian," Wunderlich says.
2. Bottle Rocket admits the crew was too busy partying to hear Wunderlich, but adds that Stratos could easily have gone around the 12-foot-tall bronze Damian on the other side. (Wunderlich denies this, noting the presence of a "huge shrub" to leeward of the statue.) The Rocket also asserts that it wouldn't have collided with Planet Claire had it not been forced off track by Stratos. "We're innocent victims here," says BR owner, Glenn Marck. "One moment we are having a good time and the next, WHAM, WHAM, WHAM, WHAM, And WHAM." The last wham was the tree.
3. Planet Claire skipper John Koten asserts he approached the tree on a wild zig-zag course "to confuse the competition" and "to break Woody's inside overlap."
4. Woody's Lawrence Hennessy, saying he has grown "sick and tired" of Koten's antics, says that Planet Claire never broke the overlap and that "I smashed right into that bozo to teach him a lesson."
5. Peregrina's Josh Burack (the only J owner with the courtesy to actually use Emery's driveway) says he approached the large white oak close-hauled on starboard and to leeward and "therefore had rights over all four of those other dimwits" (who eventually arrived at the tree in a tangled heap of fouled lines and loud shouting).
Observers say the case may be difficult to sort out for several reasons. First, it's not clear that the tree constitutes a windward mark, leeward mark, or finish (in which case Peregrina crossed the line going the wrong direction). Secondly, all of the boats were on trailers with their masts down....so it's not apparent that any of the racing rules will apply. "Anyone who tells you they know how this is going to turn out...well, they've obviously just have never been in a protest room," observed Joerg Esdorn, a noted expert on such matters.
*This story is totally fictional and part of an ongoing saga that started when Fleet Captain and mad scientist Damian Emery invented a secret gel in his basement that can levitate a J105.
Fat Old White Men Booted from Olympics - November 17, 2010
This author still can't get over the fact that, as of 2016, the Star will no longer be an Olympic class and that there won't be a men's keel boat class in the games of any kind. Seems like a clear case of discrimination against the very type of people who skipper J105s. As Star class president Bill Allen recently wrote, there's no room in Olympic sailing anymore (other than the Finn) for males over 85 kilos (187 pounds). It really hurts when your Olympic dream of winning a gold medal at age 70 is dashed.
Ten (At Least) Reasons to Stick With a J105 - November 16, 2010
Unless you enjoy plummeting thirty feet and smacking into boat parts, this collection of video clips is a good reminder that a bad day on a 105 doesn't come anywhere close to a bad day on one of these double-hulled circuses. click here to watch the wipeouts
Take That, You Crazy Italians - November 16, 2010
Click on the link below to see an Italian boat on port tack skewered by the spin pole on a starboard tack New Zealand boat. click here
No More Racing in the NOOD - November 16, 2010
After 12 years running, the Larchmont NOOD regatta has been discontinued, an apparent economic casualty of cost-cutting at Bonnier Corporation. Sailing World, which was acquired by the French magazine publisher a few years ago, wrote a Dear John letter to sailors who have participated in the event. The letter from the SW marketing chief said that the decision to end the regatta was based on low participation. The letter (clearly not copy edited by the Sailing World editorial department) added: "We recognize that some of [the reasons for the low turnout] have been unavoidable such as lack of wind in early September, plus one-design racing and regattas in the western end of Long Island Sound, like many areas around the country, have changed over the years."
Obviously Fake News*: Second 105 Chained to Tree - November 16, 2010
A second J105 now sits chained to a tree in front of Damian Emery's house. "This is getting to be a real pain," the distressed Eclipse owner said in a telephone interview. "My lawyer says he may have to draw up winter storage contracts."
As previously reported on this site, Joerg Esdorn on Sunday padlocked his J105, Kincsem, to a tree in front of Emery's house. The tenacious J105 racer vowed not to remove the boat until Emery agreed to share a secret gel that can levitate a 34.5 foot J.
Twelve hours later, a second 105, Gumption3, arrived. "The crew had just snapped the padlock shut when I spotted them," Emery said. "I yelled: 'Why?' but they just shook their heads and said that they had been instructed to 'just do whatever Joerg does.'"
In an interview this morning, a Gumption3 crew member (who asked that his identity not be disclosed) said the team had managed to keep their boat in front of Kincsem "for a good long stretch" on the highway. "We were doing a great job of covering," he said. But then, "Joerg suddenly made this crazy U-turn and disappeared. We lost him." (Photo at left: Gumption3 in hot pursuit. Note cool tow vehicle.)
Coming Up: Woody calls for inside overlap at tree. Tempers flare.
*Disclaimer: This news item is abjectly false and bears no relationship whatsoever to any reality other than the one that exists in the author's brain.
Feature: Q&A With Morning Glory's Carl Olsson - November 13, 2010
[This is another installment in a series of interviews with J105 owners in the Northeast.]
Dr. Carl Olsson is a treasured presence in Fleet #6. He's a salty and firece competitor, but his love of sailing and the contributions he makes to the sport are what make him such a beloved participant. His distinguished career in medicine leaves one wondering how he finds time for sailing at all--and, indeed, he sometimes does miss races or events because of work. But Olsson does more than just sail. Each year, he devotes considerable energy to working with junior, disabled, and collegiate sailors to help them find the passion he himself has always had for the water. Once a year in the fall, the collegiate team from Bowdoin sails Morning Glory in the Storm Try Sail Intercollegiate Keelboat Championship...and Morning Glory (whose owner is a Bowdoin alum) often wins. Morning Glory's top finish this year was at Block Island Race Week, where Olsson took second. To catch a glimpse of the peppery side of this remarkable man, read the Q%A below, especially the part where he explains the origin of Morning Glory's name.
Question: How long have you been sailing the 105?
Answer: 6-7 seasons, I think.
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you start?
A: Started sailing about 60 years ago at age 10 or 11. Boats I have sailed are Mass Bay Hustler, Mass Bay Indian, 110, 210, Snipe, Mercury, Firefly, Jolly boat, Ideal 18, IOD, Olson 38, Evelyn 32, J34, Tripp 40 and Tripp 41.
Q: Who's on your crew?
A: Most recent regulars are Peter Beardsley and Vicki Neiner; a number of others but they shift in and out.
Q: What do you to professionally?
A: I am a urologic surgeon. Emeritus Professor and Chairman at Columbia; now CMO of largest urology group in USA.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: It is cheaper than my big boats to campaign. Usually very good competition.
Q: Least?
A: Too many sea lawyers in fleet; can't stand up down below.
Q: What's your favorite event?
A: Probably the Storm Trysail Club's BIRW.
Q: What advice would you give to a newcomer?
A: Practice with the same crew all the time.
Q: Any other insights you'd share.
A. Yes. One mistake usually tosses your results.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: I don't think I did anything better this year.
Q: What do you want to improve on?
A: Tactics and crew work.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Start in first row with free air, like everyone else tries to do.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: Answer: I am heavily involved in both disabled sailing and disabled skiing.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK
Q: Any story behind the name of your boat?
A: MG is what British men wake up with in the AM
Q: Plans for next year?
A: Same old, same old- try to have the boat used as often as possible, even when my job demands being out of town. I make it available to our Junior Sailing most of the season; so they usually sail well in the JSA big boat competition each year.
Poll: Fleet #6 Owners Favor Backstay Proposal - November 13, 2010
A proposal to allow J-105 owners to opt to convert to a mechanical backstay won majority support in a recent Fleet #6 poll (see right). This web site will now contact other fleets to see if there is similar support for the idea.
Note: the class executive committee has already voted on the 2011 rule changes that will be submitted to the fleets for approval. Owners and crew can find out more information about these proposals on the national class website. There are also folders for comment in the current forum on that site.
All of the proposed new rules for 2011 involve modest changes. They range from specifying the definition of taut lifelines to approved steps that owners with overweight boats may take to get close to or down to the class minimum.
Feature: Q&A With Synergy's David Spence - November 12, 2010
[Editor's Note: This is the fourteenth in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
The Synergy syndicate was noticeably absent from Fleet #6 events year, but the team has a reasonably good excuse: they didn't take delivery of their brand new 105 until mid season (hull 680 is shown to the left still at the factory). Although Synergy, based out of Jersey City, N.J., mostly races one design, the team also enjoys distance races. It's most prolific year on the distance-racing circuit was in 2005 when, sailing hull #39, it won won the New England Lighthouse trophy, Segola trophy, Vineyard race, Gearbuster, and Fleet 6 distance series. Below is a Q&A with Synergy's David Spence:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: About 10 years now. Henrik Pedersen, Perry Moy and I bought our first J105 back in the fall of 2000. It was hull number 39, formerly Rigadoon. Our racing has been primarily in LIS, NY Harbor and Raritan Bay. We've also taken the boat up to BIRW and NYYC race week.
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: The three of us learned to sail in the mid 90's through Offshore Sailing School in NY Harbor. I don't think anyone had any prior sailing experience. There we sailed/raced on old Solings, and Colgate 26s. Because of the club's restrictions of staying within the harbor, we eventually grew tired of boundaries and wanted more, especially in racing. We looked at a few types of boats and settled on the J105. We also knew Kevin Grainger from Wednesday night PHRF racing and liked what he had going on with Gumption.
Since we were used to sharing boats in the club, it was a pretty easy transition to buying a boat collectively. None of us actually owned a boat before, so we didn't miss what we didn't know. After ten years, the partnership still works. Aside from racing on some friends boats here and there it's been primarily the J105 for all of us.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Having three owners helps having a regular crew. Aside from Henrik (spinnaker, helm), Perry (main, bow), and myself (helm), we also have Mike Rout (navigator, jib) Steve To (main or squirrel) Ari Rubenstein (bow) Sean Blum (jib, spinnaker) and newcomers Jem Tacadena (bow) and Randy Lewis (main, jib)
Q: You did make it up to the Sound once this year. Why not more?
A: We were pretty spent after this year's Vineyard Race (and 30 hrs of 30kt winds) so we decided not to stay for the NOODs. It's a bit easier for us to commit to single weekend regattas, than two weekend, so we decided to race in NJ during some of those bi-weekends regattas. Perhaps next year though
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I am an architect and principal of Windigo Architecture, LLC. Can I put a plug in here? It's www.windigodesign.com. Henrik is the department chair at Rutger's school of Chemical Engineering. Perry owns a title insurance company located in Manhattan and is beginning the process of retiring
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: Its versatility. We really enjoy OD buoy racing and appreciate the fact that there is almost always a J105 start no matter where you race. But we also have some luck with it in the distance races like the Vineyard Race. We've taken down some pretty big expensive boats.
Q: Least?
A: Its IRC and new LIS PHRF ratings.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: One of our favorites is the Stratford Shoal race hosted by Riverside YC. It's usually sometime around the 4th of July weekend. For starters, it's an afternoon start, so a bbq lunch is served first, outside on the YC lawn. It's a pretty casual affair, with just a slight air of decorum. After lunch we head out to the starting line. The race is usually a 50 miler though they've had shorter courses specifically for J105 division. The best part is at night, when towns on the LI and CT sides have their firework displays simultaneously. The water is the best place to be to watch these multiple light shows. For a distance race, it's pretty short and easy and you don't get sleep deprived or beat up.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Go sailing (not necessarily racing) with only three or four people onboard. These are people you think will race with you the majority of the time. Practice everything you would do in a race; raise the chute, jibe, douse, tack, roundings, etc. The idea is to develop a core crew as quickly and minimally as possible. The more this small crew can do on-its-own, the more versatile the boat is. Also, try and have the core group get to know at least 2 positions (if not all) very well. You never know who is going to be available for a particular day of racing, so crew assignments can vary from day to day. The smaller and more consistent the crew is, the easier it is to have outsiders or newcomers on board and still be able to race effectively. If you become dependent on having 5 or 6 all the time, the harder it is to find available crew.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Having just built a new one, we got to have fun with the electronics package - things have come a long way since our original boat. Everything we have now is small, light and portable, and can be stored below or onshore when not in use. It's pretty amazing to see how bulky instruments were, even if only a few years old. But the best toy we brought on board is the Ipad. Because it's linked with the other instruments, we're able to do a lot of things with just low cost Apps. An $800 Ipad can do a lot, even show a ball game while you're waiting for the AP to come down. For the kind of racing we and most J105 owner's do, it's a great set-up. I think it definitely can make an impact on the marine industry. [Editor's Note: I had an iPad on my boat this year and concur with David. It actually saved my ass navigating into a harbor after sunset that I'd never been to before.]
Feature: Q&A With Synergy's David Spence (Part Two) - November 12, 2010
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Rig tuning and picking shifts. Building a new boat definitely rejuvenated the team and renewed our hopes of performing better. But it has also forced us to rethink how things are done. In one sense we were back to square-one when it came to rig tuning and sail shape. The new J105's are built with a stiffer mast so tensions are different. As a result, the process of relearning the rig forced the team to think more about the nuances of sail shape and not take them so casually. And in terms of picking shifts, everyone's head seemed to more focused on wind direction and in tune with patterns on the race course.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
Q: There was a lot of chatter in the late 90's in early 2000's on the national and local J105 websites. Not so much anymore. Either everything that could be discussed about the J105 has been discussed or it appears people have lost interest. Prospective new J105 owners that see websites not regularly updated will start thinking the fleet is dead or dying. So I think interviews like this will help. However I also think the forum page should come to the front of the site and not buried in the website. Sailing Anarchy's forum is really dynamic and alive (and crass too) but it seems to be the go-to site for pre- and post race discussion. I think we could borrow some ideas from there.
I'm also concerned with the future of the fleet because it's become too predictable. Every year the schedule is the same, with the same few boats dominating the top places, the same boats finishing in the middle and the same boats finishing in the bottom of the pack. This may not be a unique problem to Fleet 6, and I have no problem with the placings, except I wonder how long this can continue and how sustainable it really is for the fleet. The growth of the class has slowed and may have reached a leveling point. Having said this, I believe the emphasis in the coming years should not be based on building individual fleets as in the past, but developing more inter-fleet racing. This would help strengthen the overall J105 community and provide variation year to year.
I also think the fleet needs to think beyond LIS in several ways. The East coast and RI racing events this past season seemed to be a success and several boats were up for the trip. Perhaps an east coast "racing tour" could be established that would include NJ and NYC waters, through western LIS and up to the eastern LIS and RI areas. Every year could be slightly different in terms of venues, schedule and directions (west to east, east to west). For starters this could give the top performing boats another challenge yet to be conquered.
Another idea is to incorporate race tracking systems as part of the regattas. You've seen it with the distance races, it's even better with the short stuff. This can not only encourage discussions and Monday quarterbacking sessions over the forums, but it also becomes an educational tool for those that are still trying to figure out what the leaders are doing on the course, that makes them win. It would be great website to go to over the long winter and relive those races. It doesn't have to be every race, but a few of the larger ones.
Lastly I would like to suggest that the fleet show more support towards improving the LIS-YRA PHRF rating for the J105. For the last six years or so the rating had been 105 for an OD configuration. While perhaps this rating was very generous, I think the rating was dropped too much too quickly. It is now 93 for distance racing and 96 for buoys. Such a delta suggests that any PHRF races won before by a J105 were essentially non-legit. It also flies in the face of the PHRF rating committee, because now the rating system appears to be really arbitrary. By the way, this is why we all like OD racing so much, right? The point is, we do not want OD to mean One-Dimensional, and without other forms of racing like IRC or PHRF for the J105, we limit potential racing opportunities as well as potential buyers of J105's, new or old. I believe some member(s) of the fleet tried to prevent this hacking from happening, but really could have used additional support from the rest of the fleet. I'm not saying back to 105, but something in the middle would be a more appropriate adjustment. Mr. I only do one-design racing may not directly benefit from this, but again, this is a suggestion for helping the overall fleet sustain itself for the long run.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Chemistry and patience. Chemistry We'd rather lose a race and enjoy a beer with the crew and competitors afterwards, than win at the expense of pissing everyone off. Patience - We've been doing this a long time and we're still not at the top tier, but we still enjoy the quest. And when that doesn't work for us anymore, we may decide to start pissing people off
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: I've done some triathlons here and there, but honestly with a firm to run, a toddler to entertain and a wife to keep happy, I'm happy to be just sailing. When not on Synergy, Henrik will do some judging for local match racing, and Perry goes fishing on his other boat.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: Right now we have a mix of UK and North.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: With the new Sparcraft mast, the existing tuning guides don't seem to be accurate anymore. We've been keeping a log of experiments and seeing what works in different wind conditions. I've also been communicating with other owners of new J105s (674 and up) to see what they've been doing.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: We usually have a mid-winter Synergy party, go over the new schedule and play the 1930's board game Yachting with Dark & Stormies.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: The boat should be in good shape and not require a lot of prep work (which was the idea behind getting a new j105), so we hope to be in the water early and participate in more of the spring races like AYC. Other than that it will be business as usual, splitting our time between LIS and NJ regattas.
Feature: Q&A With Bottle Rocket's Glenn Marck - November 11, 2010
[This the the 13th in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast]
Glenn Marck has been sailing Bottle Rocket on the Sound for eight years, but he was absent from most of the major regattas in 2010. Despite the lack of practice, Marck finished the season on a high note, winning the last race he sailed in the AYC Fall Series. Bottle Rocket placed tenth in that regatta despite two DNCs on the final day. Below is a brief Q&A, with Marck:
Question: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
Answer: Raced windsurfers then Rhodes 19 at age 11.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Neighbors and club members
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: Production company specializing in events and exhibitions
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: Stability, handling, design, ease of maintaining
Q: Least?
A: Headroom and headroom
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Ceder Point. Location, facility and food
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to
speed quickly?
A: Get out there and go to the early season race clinics
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Sails well in all conditions
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Smelled wind better, sailed faster
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Share racing experiences with members
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: RELAX
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Skiing and eating
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Created our own
Q: Any story behind the name of your boat?
A: First time I saw the under body of a J105, it looked like a bottle rocket
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: Go south.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Catch up on missed sailing racing opportunities
Feature: Q&A With Savasana's Brian Keane - November 10, 2010
[Editor's Note: This is another installment in a series of interviews with J105 owners in the Northeast.]
Brian Keane's Savasana (along with Eclipse, Kincsem, and Power Play) is one of the top four boats in the Northeast. Savasana placed third at this year's East Coast Championships (it won in 2009). In January, Brian won Key West Race Week for the second year in a row (see photo from 2009 at left). In the 2007 season, he successfully defended wins at both Block Island and Charleston Race Week. This season, Brian's 105 remain parked ashore much of the time as he aggressively campaigned the newest addition to the Savasana fleet: a J80, racing at such events as the North Americans and the Worlds. In the interview below, Keane reveals plans to return to defend his title in the J105 at Key West as well as sail in a number of key 105 regattas next summer.
Q: How long have you been racing the 105?
A: After not stepping foot on a boat for 10 years, I finally bought a J105 in 2002. It was my first time sailing a keel boat, so it was quite a change.
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: I started sailing when I was five or six years old in Cohasset, Massachusetts, crewing on my dad's Lightning. When I was eight I joined the local junior program and began sailing 6 foot Rookies. I think Cohasset is the only town in the world that sailed these boats, but they served their purpose and ignited in me a passion for sailboat racing. As a kid I did mostly single-handed and double-handed racing on Lasers, 420, 110s, and anything else I could get my hands on. By the time I was 16 we won the US Double-handed Championships (Bemis Trophy) and then went on to win the US Team Racing Championships (Hinman), place 3rd a couple times in the US Single-handed Championships (ODay), and became a two time All American at Harvard.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Sailboat racing is a major time commitment so it is impossible for us to have the same team for every event. There is a core team of 8 or so that I tap into for most J105 events. For Key West this year I will have the same team as last year. Eric Knight, who flies the spinnaker, is from Boston and has been with me since my first Key West in 2003. Mike Danish, from Miami, trims jib and helps me with tactics. Harcourt Schutz, from Connecticut, does mast, helps with the kite, and continuously provides external data. Jon Colarusso is our tenacious bowman and hails from Charleston. Finally, W Mason does some pit and monitors downwind shifts. Michael Lague has also done a lot of sailing with me over the past few years and he is great because he is so versatile.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I am CEO of Dextrys which is an IT outsourcing company. We do product engineering for software product companies and application development for corporations in industries such as financial services, insurance, retail, and life sciences. Most of our engineers are based in China. We also help US corporations and multinationals to enter the China market to sell their product or services to that massively growing economy.
Q: You did a lot of racing this year in the J80. Can you share anything with us about that experience?
A: This past summer was the perfect storm for the J80 in the Northeast US. The North Americans were in Marion in September and the World Championships were in Newport in October. So I couldnt resist and ended up buying a J80 last Winter. We first stepped foot on a J80 at the Annapolis NOOD in April, and then did several events throughout the summer. It is a fantastic boat with outstanding competition. I like the fact that many of the top boats are pros which means the competition level is intense. The good news is that the J105 and the J80 are pretty similar from a design and tuning perspective. We were able to carry over much of our J105 experience and apply it to the 80. Nevertheless, we still had a pretty steep learning curve and I am thankful to the many J80 sailors that helped us along the way. The Worlds was an epoch experience. Most of the event was sailed in 20-30+ knots of wind. I remember looking at my speedo during one downwind leg and we were going 17.6 knots and water was spraying everywhere as we hiked off the stern of the boat.
Q: Anything you learned on the 80 that you'll apply to the 105?
A: I am not sure there are any specific lessons or techniques that we would bring back to the 105. The big fleet experience, particularly during starts, will just make us more comfortable and potentially more aggressive.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: What I like best about the 105 is that there are so many fleets in the US that it is easy to participate in one design racing throughout most of the year. Additionally, there are many great sailors in the fleet who have incredible credentials. This makes for some very competitive racing which is what I enjoy most.
Q: Least?
A: I wish more competitors traveled to the major regattas.
Feature: Q&A With Savasana's Brian Keane (Pt 2) - November 10, 2010
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: I would have to say that Key West is my favorite event. Living in Boston, it is pretty sweet to be able to travel to Key West during the third week of January. Caribbean waters, warm weather, (usually) reliable breeze, and a festive venue combine to deliver a magical experience. On top of that, KWRW has the best race management of any major regatta I have been to.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the fleet who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Because this is one design sailing, anybody can be competitive relatively quickly. Tuning guides from the sail makers really do work so you quickly have access to man-years of research. The other recommendation would be to find a core, steady team that can sail with you regularly. A steady team will learn and progress much more rapidly than a boat with many moving parts.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Ideally there will be greater participation in events during 2011. The NAs will be in Marblehead in August so the summer in New England could be excellent for the 105 fleet.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Generally, I am pretty conservative with my race philosophy. I just want to get off the line and find a lane. We typically have decent speed so getting a lane and sailing our own race is pretty important.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: I enjoy skiing, golfing, tennis, running, yoga, and wine collecting.
Q: I remember at one point you owned two J105s. What was the story there?
A: A couple years ago I decided that I was going to dry sail my 105 and, because of that, I didn't want to have any bottom paint. I thought it would be easier to buy another used boat that already had a good bottom with no paint rather than have my bottom redone. Subsequently, I sold 526 to Henry Brauer and Stuart Neff in Marblehead.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: Currently I use North for my main and jib and Ullman for my spinnaker.
Q: Why the mix and match approach?
A: I had always been 100% Ullman up until 2010. At Key West this past year we tried the North main and jib for the first time and were happy with the design. For a long time, Ullman has had the reputation as having the best chutes in the 105 class and we have always been very happy with them.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: We are pretty darn close to the tuning guide.
Q: I think it's safe to say that you have the only 105 with the name written on the hull and the chute in Sanskrit. Any story behind the name of your boat? I know a lot of people mispronounce it.
A: Savasana is a yoga pose. Actually it is the final pose that comes at the end of a yoga practice when you lie down on the floor and relax. [Editor's Note: It's also known as "corpse pose."] In a sense, it is final relaxation after a workout. For me, sailboat racing is like final relaxation which I can enjoy after work and other responsibilities. My connection to yoga stems from three back surgeries I had over a 12 month period in 1999 and 2000. After the last surgery, I picked up yoga to facilitate recovery. My experience with yoga has been so positive in helping me maintain core physical strength and flexibility.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: We will race this winter.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Definitely the J105 NAs in Marblehead. We will try to do as many 105 events as we can. I am also hoping to do some J80 events so I dont lose everything I have learned.
Q: Are you setting your sites on the North Americans as the place you want to peak?
A: Yes, in the J105 we are targeting the NAs as the primary goal
for 2011.
[Note: The photo above and left shows Brian's J80 (also named Savasana) racing at the Worlds a month ago. He finished ninth in the 61 boat event, which was won by Jose Maria Torcida of Spain.]
Editorial: Fahrenheit Folly? - November 9, 2010
Does anyone besides the Fleet #6 editorial board (me) think the J105 season ends way to d--- early? Last weekend was beautiful (and windy). The temperature is forecast to rise into the 60s this weekend. At last year's North American championships, held in Rye following the Manhasset fall series, there were a number of balmy days. Unless my recollection is wrong, we've actually had fairly ideal sailing weather almost until Thanksgiving the last several years. And, unless Al Gore is totally wrong, this will only happen more and more as we move into a toastier future. So my question is, what are all our boats already doing all comfortably reposed on the hard, looking nothing if not sad? I've started a folder on the Fleet #6 forum about this. Feel free to explain to me why I am a meteorological ignoramus, but don't try to tell me that watching football, raking leaves (tell your significant other to do it), or puttering around in a Cook 11 or some other frostbiting bathtub is more fun than racing the 105.
Feature: Q&A With Strange Brew's Howard Sherman - November 9, 2010
[Editor's Note: This is the eleventh in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
"Strange brew--killin' what's inside of you / On a boat in the middle of a raging sea, / She would make a scene for it all to be / Ignored. / And wouldn't you be bored? / Strange brew --killin' what's inside of you." Song writers Eric Clapton, Gail Collins and Felix Pappalardi made such an impression on the youthful minds of Howard Sherman, Randy Bourne, Dean Allen, and Eben Walker that they named their boat after the song by Cream. One of several partnerships that race in our fleet, the Strange Brew team started off the season with a bang with two fifths in the first two races of the AYC Spring Series. Those two finishes apparently touched off a party aboard the Brew that lasted the rest of the season and seemed to get in the way of any further top five finishes (note the crew lazing on the deck in photo to the left). Strange Brew also participated in the J105 East Coast Championships in Newport, the Larchmont NOOD, and the AYC Fall Series. Below, the Brew's Howard Sherman speaks for his team in a brief Q&A. [Editor's Note: Sherman is a public relations genius, so take note of his deft replies to our pointed inquiries.]
Question: How long have you been sailing the 105?
Answer: About 10 years
Q: What other boats have you sailed and when did you start?
A: Started sailing on a Ranger 22 many decades ago. Raced J24's for many years. Also crewed on a Swan 44 for a number of years as well as Toscana a custom 50 which was previously known as Blizzard.
Q: Who sails on your crew?
A: My three partners: Dean Allen, Randy Bourne, and Eben Walker.
Q: What do you do for a living?
A: I'm the President of Doremus, a business-to-business advertising and marketing firm.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: The fleet size and competitiveness of the class. The boat itself is fun to sail.
Q: Least?
A: The unique crunching noise it makes when you round a little to closely to a competitor (just kidding)
Q: What's your favorite event?
A: The NYYC Rolex Cup. It is in Newport. It attracts great sailors. It is a world class event.
Q: What advice would you give to a newcomer who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Sail as much as you can.
Q: Any other insights about the boat?
A: It's a fantastic ride when the wind is off the rear quarter and blowing 20.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Relaxing.
Q: What could our fleet do better?
A: Doing pretty much everything pretty well.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Have fun
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Boxing. Skiing.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: We use the sailmakers guide mostly.
Q: What's the story behind the name of your boat?
A: We grew up listening to Cream. Just works
Q: What are your plans for 2011?
A: Don't know yet.
Idiots! - November 8, 2010
The world is full of them. (I have watched this video six times now and can't stop shuddering every time I see it.) Click Here
Feature: Q&A With Peregrina's Josh Burack - November 8, 2010
[Editor's note: This is the tenth in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
Josh Burack did not race Peregrina nearly enough this year. He did, however, make the most of his few appearances, finishing second at the Cedar Point One Design regatta and third at the Manhasset Bay Fall Series, with two bullets. Lesson: Just because you haven't seen it in awhile, do not underestimate this boat when it does appear on the race course. A brief Q&A with Dr. Josh follows:
Question: Have long have you been racing the 105?
A: Since about 1998 in PHRF races and in the one design racing since 2000 when we started fleet 6.
Q: When did you start sailing and what other boats have you raced?
A: I started sailing when I was about 12 in the Mamroneck town sailing program in Rhodes 19s. My family owned a Sunfish, a Pearson Ensign, a Pearson Vanguard, and C&C 35. I started racing on big boats in my 20's and did the 1983 SORC on Gem, a 50 foot custom boat, followed by a few seasons on a S9.2. Then I bought my own boat, Peregrina, a J27 in 1990 and then the J105 in 1997
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: I have had most of the same crew for a bunch of years: Mike and Kyra Quaglio, Rand Milton and Jamie Ebenau, the newest addition, and sometimes Adam Speckenbaugh when he is in town. On weeknight racing I also sometimes sail with Scott Rosasco, Chad Wilcomb, Gina Varroli and Fortunato Gordon, Neil Bercow and David Quaglio, so I always have more enthusiastic and experienced crew available for the weekends.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I am a cardiothoracic surgeon. [Editor's note: cardiothoracic=diseases inside the thorax, or chest.]
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: Simple to rig, sail and fix. It's a blast to sail in heavy air with a good crew, also a good boat for family sailing and firework watching.
Q: Least?
A: All the paperwork with measuring and scoring, and the race course collisions. It's no fun to get hit. [Editor's note: Peregrina had its stern pulpit sheered off in the Manhasset Fall Series, but was back out racing the next day.]
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: I like MBFS because the breeze is good, the water is still warm and the days are cool and the year-end party is always fun. I also enjoy weeknight racing, there is nothing better than looking forward to an early day at work and some cold ones and good racing in the evening-it really breaks up the week. This is a plug for next year, we want to organize our own series near can 1 so that all the 105's can race together.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Time in the boat, in all conditions. And get some advice by sailing with the sailmakers. The weeknight racing is perfect for this.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: I just got new instruments and the only thing that you need is really a speedo and a Sailcomp, and the boats nearby.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: More consistent starts, less 2nd and third row's.
Q: What do you think you could improve on?
A: Better manuevering at the corners and downwind tactics. Also it would be nice to be full speed, bow out, at the starts.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Let's organize weeknight racing in a central location. It's good practice, the sailmakers can come, and its fun.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Don't take things too seriously, and if I had my choice it would be nice to win the start, pick the correct side and extend.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Cycling, squash, kyaking, hiking. Almost forgot: eating and drinking. Those are sports too!
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Roughly follow the guide, although its been a long time since I have read it. We make things pretty loose in the light stuff.
Q: Is there a story behind the name of your boat?
A: Peregrina means pilgrim in Spanish and Peregrina was the name of a small, super energetic horse that took my wife to be and me on a horse and buggy ride in Spain many years ago.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Up in the air, as there are a lot of other things going on in my life right now. I would like to attend more weekend races.
Feature: A Q&A With Joysea's Nathan Boylan - November 7, 2010
[Editor's Note: This is another installment in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
Joysea sails out of Cedar Point Yacht Club. In 2009, Nathan Boylan capitalized on his local knowledge to win the club's One Design regatta in a competitive 105 fleet. This year, he finished fourth. Nathan has been a regular competitor in Fleet #6 events for some time, but had to curtail his racing somewhat during the 2010 season because of family-related commitments. Next year, he hopes Joysea will be able to enter more events. Below is a brief Q&A with Nathan:
Question:How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: Seven years.
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: Started when I was 12 on Mirror Dinghy's. Then Albacores. Then mostly OD Beneteau fleets.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Been racing with the same group of six sailors the past three years. JC, Nate, Frank, Ansgar and Don.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: Technology professional in the financial industry.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: One Design sailing and the largest consistent fleet around.
Q: Least?
A: It's an old boat now which doesn't have the performance of more modern designs. Plus it's a dog in light air, which is what we often get in the Fleet 6 zone.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Cedar Pt OD Championship in June. By far the best run event with the best RC on Long Island Sound and usually has great sailing conditions. CPYC is a true One Design Sailors club.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to
speed quickly?
A: Sail on other boats or have seasoned 105 skippers and crew sail with you
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: The 105 Internet Forum is a wealth of information. The build quality of the boat is not that great, so keep on top of maintenance.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Not showing up to events. In the past two years everyone of us on the boat have had children, which has interfered with sailing!
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Increase participation by spreading the events we race in across the entire season and reducing the number of back to back weekends. There are plenty of 105s located on Long Island Sound so how do we convince them to come out and play?!
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Sail with your friends and don't bang the corners. Not always successful with the last part.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Skiing, kiteboarding, windsurfing, squash, honey-do-list.......
Q: What sails do you use?
A: Ulman
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: A bit of both
Q: Any story behind the name of your boat?
A: It's a play on my wife's nickname.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: Always enjoy the break from sailing but I'll be kiteboarding in warmer climes.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: All our kids are a little older so try and get back into a fuller schedule of racing.
Ten J105s Now Signed Up For Key West - November 6, 2010
With a little more than two months left to go, ten J105s are currently signed up to attend Key West Race Week. The only Fleet #6 boat on the scratch sheet is Kevin Grainger's Gumption3. Last year's event was won by Brian Keane's Savasana. The 2011 event will take place Jan. 17-21. Premiere Racing has taken a number of steps to lower the cost of this event for participating boats, most of them made possible by the smaller fleet sizes that Key West has had in recent years. Click on the link below for more details. Key West Link
Feature: An Interview with Planet Claire's John Koten - November 4, 2010
[Note: This is another in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
Planet Claire peaked mid season with a fifth at the 20-boat East Coast Championships in Newport and a fifth in the Narragansett Bay Series. The team also won its first Fleet #6 race this year in the AYC Spring Series. Planet Claire moved up to the Sound for the 2010 season after spending two years at the Manhattan Sailing Club in New York harbor. The boat made appearances this year at all the major Northeast regattas and intends to do so again in 2011. Following is a brief interview between Planet Claire owner and helmsman, John Koten, and...well...ah...himself. [Hey, how can I ask the rest of you to go through this if I don't do it.]
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: This year was our third season.
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: I raced C Scows as a kid and did a lot of J24 racing in my twenties and early 30s. I owned J24 hull numbers 189, 3719, and 4544 and raced during the era when 75-boat fleets weren't uncommon at regattas. I took a long hiatus from blowing my budget on sailing so I could put my kids through private school and college. In addition to the 105, I have a Melges 24 and a Cook 11. This year's Melges 24 North Americans were a great learning experience. Right off, we won the Wipe Out of the Day award. The last day, we got a 2nd and a 3rd, finishing just ahead of the regatta winner both times.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: We had three regular crew in 2010: me, my wife, and Hoyt Masur, who does mast and bow. Marisa is one of the top psychologists in New York City. She does pit so we have some consistency keeping the boat sane. Hoyt (whose brother Mark owns Two Feathers) does something in the field of internet security that I don't understand. He's strong and quick, so he keeps our bow disasters from being too disastrous. We used exactly 20 other people (I counted) this year to fill the three remaining positions. Huge contributions were made by Stephen Yip, Keith Putnam-Delaney, and Ralph Godkin, but I rarely had more than one of them on the boat for any given event. It's no secret that the top boats in the class have steady, stable teams, so this has been a huge weakness for us.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I started in the media business over 30 years ago as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and have been in it ever since. My last job was CEO of the company that publishes Inc. and Fast Company magazines. Right now, I am temporarily retired.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: It offers the most competitive keelboat racing in the Northeast. No other boat comes close. I've won the fleet or club championship most places I have sailed, but I'm a long way from doing that here. When we beat Kincsem or Eclipse in a race (or Power Play or Andiamo or Conundrum or Gumption or Revelation or Loulou or Perigrina, etc.), we know weve sailed pretty well. The J105 is not a new design and many rivals have come along, but no one has really been able to improve on the 105. That includes J Boats. The new J/111 is very cool, but the value for the dollar isn't there compared to a 105.
Q: Least?
A: I can't believe some of the idiotic stuff I hear shouted at mark roundings. I think owners ought to get their crews to behave more respectfully on the race course and set a good example themselves. There often seems to be an assumption that other boats don't know the racing rules, but in fact I think this is a fairly knowledgeable fleet. I agree with Bruce and Paul that the hydraulic backstay stinks. I note that we all are ex-J24 guys.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Whatever event each year draws the most boats. The more boats, the more exciting and fun the races are from the start to the mark roundings. So this year I'd say the East Coast Championships were the most fun. Last year it was the NAs.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Don't follow my example and sail with 23 crew. Get a group together that can make every race and train everyone from the ground up if you have to. Do this even if it means adding a few less experienced sailors to your team. Next, you really have to learn the J105 generally and your individual boat specifically. The boats are all a little different. Read all the tuning guides, not just the one for your sails. They all make good points.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: There's a groove where the boat feels lively and fast. It's worth .3 to .5 knots. And the goal is to dial into that groove for as long and as often as you can. But its not always easy to find or only about driving. Sometimes it's just an inch on the jib or an inch on the main. Another thing I'd say is that sometimes you have to be patient in bad air. It's frustrating to watch the boat ahead of you pull away, but it's also sometimes easy to loose even more ground trying to clear your air.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Sailing in heavy air. I love it. We still have more to do to smooth out our crew work and spend more time going the right direction. I am also changing my mast butt position next year. It's been in the wrong place (for my North sails) since I bought the boat.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: It seems to me that we have an an unusual opportunity to bring new racers in. Yes, the economy is rough, but it's also become pretty inexpensive to get into a used J105. And we all know that even creaky crates with hull numbers like 50 and 37 and 59 can win races. Heck, they win MOST of the races. Same thing is true in San Francisco.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Don't assume we are right and everyone else is wrong.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: I play ice hockey pretty well and golf pretty poorly.
Q: What sails do you use?
North on both the 105 and M24. Have had a long relationship with the Melges (which everyone in the East mispronounces) family. We do have an Ulman chute in addition to a few Norths and UKs.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Start with the guide, but usually go a bit tighter. I don't see how any guide can account for all the wind strength and sea state conditions we get on the Sound. So I think it is really important to understand what you are trying to achieve when you are tuning. Does your main have any luff curve cut into it? If so, you need pre-bend. Do you want a tighter forestay? Are you trying to get the tip of the mast to fall off at the top or do you want leeward mast sag? You really have to look at whether your rig tune is giving you what you need for the conditions.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: Plan to read the new book about Joshua Slocum's trip around the world. The Times gave it a good review. I'll frostbite at AYC and hope to beat Joerg and Fred at least once each. Were also going to try to do some Melges 24 racing in Florida, South Carolina and Texas. Were still sorting out the crew so Id be happy to hear from anyone who like to join us. The Melges 24 Worlds are in Corpus Christi in May. The M24, frankly, can make the 105 seem like a very slow boat. Downwind, anyway. Yet there are a lot of similarities, too.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: We'll do the local regattas, Block Island, the Newport events, and the NAs. We also going to try to stop Kincsem and Eclipse from passing us so much out on the race course.
Feature: Q&A With Elmo's Bobbi Coffey - November 4, 2010
[Editor's Note: This is the seventh in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
Sailing aboard the Beagle, Charles Darwin witnessed a bizarre phenomenon which he described in a letter to a friend: "Everything is in flames, the sky with lightning, the water with luminous particles, and even the very masts are pointed with a blue flame." It was St. Elmo's fire, the blue-greenish light given off by plasma, and named after St. Elmo, the patron saint of sailors. That's why there's a small halo above the logo on Barbara "Bobbi" Coffey's Elmo; she named the boat after a mariner-friendly saint, not a Muppet. Elmo is a regular and welcome participant in Fleet #6 events and the only boat 100%-owned and skippered by a woman. A brief interview with this luminescent sailor follows:
Question: Have long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: 9 years
Q: When did you start sailing and what other boats have you raced?
A: Since I was a kid. Cal 25, Morgan 27, CC 29, J120, and then my own J105
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Not enough people
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: Financial analyst
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: Can go out with only two people and still have fun
Q: Least?
A: Can not really go out alone
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: The collegiate regatta at Larchmont in the fall- so much fun to see the talent the college guys have and how well they work together
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to
speed quickly?
A: Go play on someone else boat for a few races.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Bow down and drive
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Not sure
Q: What do you think you could improve on?
A: Everything
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Maybe a rules class seminar in April just for the class members
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Sail my own race unless messed with
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Skiing gardening
Q: What sails do you use?
A: North and UK
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: More of my own as Elmo is hull 25 and tuning guides are written for later hulls.
Q: Is there a story behind the name Elmo?
A: Patron saint of sailors and father's boat name.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Race fast and have fun.
Suffering from Withdrawl? - November 3, 2010
No sport could have benefited more from the help of a marketing consultant when choosing its name, but few frostbiters seem to mind. If you are interested in trying it out (or returning to the sport), one option you may want to consider is the Cook 11 fleet at AYC. This group often gets as many as 20 participants each Sunday. The competitors include several Fleet #6 members, including Joerg Esdorn, Fred Walters, and John Koten. Used boats are available for sale (a good one could be had for around $750 including sail) as well as charter. The fleet also has a loaner for skippers who want to try it out for a Sunday. The single-handed boat is fairly stable and quick--sort of like a fat Laser. There's a picture of one to the left. Seven races a day are not unusual when the weather is favorable and the action doesn't start until a sleep-in saving (or church going) 1:00 pm. AYC offers an inexpensive winter membership for participants. The racing season starts Nov. 14, following a practice and setup session this Sunday (Nov. 7). For more info contact Rob Fear at Rob.Fear@miacanalytics.com. (If you join, he'll also be the guy you'll want to beat. But be warned: it won't be easy.)
Feature: Q&A With Stratos's Marcus Wunderlich - November 3, 2010
[Editor's Note: This is another installment in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
Marcus Wunderlich took on the largely thankless job of fleet treasurer this year, a reflection of his dedication to Fleet #6 and the J105 class. He bought Stratos three years ago and based it at the Manhattan Sailing Club in New York Harbor. Since then, he has been making the trip up the East River (three hours with the current) to participate in such events as the NOOD, AYC Spring, and Manhasset Fall Series. Next year, Marcus plans to broaden his assault by participating in some events even farther East. His best finish this year was a third place at the Red Grant Regatta, hosted by Raritan Yacht Club in Perth Amboy, N.J. An interview with Marcus follows. Read on to find out why he is considering installing oarlocks on Stratos.
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: I bought Stratos in January of 2008 and have been racing ever since.
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: Though I have been sailing for many years I started racing pretty late, on a J/24 in 2006.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Three of my crew have been around since the first race: Noah Bessoff (pit or trim), Terry Moore (trim) and Teresa Peterson (bow). Earlier this year Brett Berkley (main) and Matt Kelleher (bow or mast) joined us full-time. And in the middle of 2010, Caryn Davies joined our team, mostly part-time. Caryn was introduced to me by another J105 sailor as Olympic gold medalist. I didn't hesitate to invite her join our team. Only later did I realize that her Olympic 2008 gold (and 2004 silver) are related to her rowing career. Anyway, I guess that makes Stratos officially the only boat in New York that's crewed by a two-time Olympic athlete.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I work for Citi's Global Transaction Services and specialize in structured finance.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: There are several things. Most of all, one can run a good racing campaign at a rather reasonable rate and yet participate in some very competitive regattas across the country. The boat is sophisticated enough to sail very well in a wide range of conditions and yet simple enough to allow me to do 95% of all the maintenance work myself.
Q: Least?
A: There is nothing wrong with the boat, but I wish the Sound would offer better racing conditions in the summer.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: We haven't been doing a lot of the regional or national events. I quite liked the NAs last year with four days of racing. Of the local events I like the Manhasset Fall Series, which is well organized and offers attractive racing conditions.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: There is a wealth of helpful information on the national website, which is worth studying. I found particularly the generic part of the North Sail J105 guidelines rather useful.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Pay attention to the forestay tension and know how to adjust the furler.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: I generally spent more time focusing on the combination of boat speed and pointing. I think that we are on target 95% of the time. More importantly we are now able identify and address performance issues rather quickly and barely a moment passes without any rig adjustments. Which is quite different from our first race in 2008 where we would go for miles barely adjusting anything at all.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Get a good start and avoid bad air.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: I love alpine skiing.
Q: Is there are story behind the name Stratos?
A: The boat was previously called Sugarfree. Given the previous owner's profession (he was a dentist), the name was a good fit. But I wanted to give my boat a new identity after it changed hands. When looking for a name I ruled out Wall Street jargon (no synergy, arbitrage or trader's princess) or any names that would be difficult to hail in a tight racing situation (such as Overlap). I remember scribbling down a few names and ending up with Stratos, which is Greek for warrior.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK Halsey.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: I have a proprietary formula for the rig tension.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: I won't spend time on the water but I usually use the winter time to catch up on strategic topics. An in-depth understanding of the weather system is on my list for this winter.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Definitely Block Island and the North Americans in Marblehead.
Annual Meetiing of the Class Big Wigs - November 1, 2010
Minutes from the national class association meeting on October 22 have been posted on the class website. Not a whole lot of news. -2012 NA's in Southern California. -Proposed rule change to lighten heavy boats. -Proposed rule change to slightly loosen lifeline tension requirement -Membership down because of the economy. link
Discussion Topic: A better backstay? - November 1, 2010
Several Fleet #6 members have expressed interest in a rule change that would allow owners to switch from a hydraulic backstay to one with a mechanical block and tackle that would allow easier adjustment by the helmsman or mainsheet trimmer while sailing upwind (like the J24). We've posted a Quick Poll about this issue to the right on this page and opened a forum topic for further discussion. All opinions welcome. forum
Preliminary Warning Gun: 2011 Regatta Dates - November 1, 2010
Events you won't want to miss in 2011:
June 11-12 New York YC Annual Regatta, Newport RI
June 20-24 Rolex Block Island Race Week
July 9-10 Coastal Living Sail Newport Regatta
July 23-24 West Passage Regatta, Wickford YC, Wickford, RI
Aug 10-14 J/105 North Americans, Eastern YC, Marblehead, MA
Feature: An interview with Bruce Stone (Power Play and Arbitrage) - November 1, 2010
[Editor's note: This is another installment in a series of interviews with J105 racers in the Northeast.]
Bruce Stone is a regular competitor in Fleet #6 events, but that isn't where the 2009 North American champion made his mark in 2010. This year, Stone became the first J-105 skipper to win the season championship of two J-105 fleets: Fleet #1 in San Francisco and Fleet #14 in Southern New England. He also won this year's AYC Spring Series and the J-105 division of San Francisco's Rolex Big Boat Regatta (yes, he strapped on his second Rolex in as many years). An interview with Bruce follows:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: I bought Arbitrage #116 in 1999; started borrowing or chartering East Coast J/105s in 2000 with a series of terrific Rhode Island and Annapolis owners who then sailed with us. We met all of them through Nelson Weiderman and Walt Nuschke. Scott De Weese started crewing for us on Cyan, which we chartered four years ago, and then we started racing Scott's boat Power Play #37 three years ago, winning the Fleet 14 series that year as well as third place in Fleet 6. This year we again won Fleet 14 in Power Play and it was our first time winning Fleet 1 in Arbitrage. We missed too many Fleet 6 races this year to be in the hunt.
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: Started after grad school. From 1976-80 I crewed on big boats out of Racine Yacht Club and Chicago Yacht Club; moved to San Francisco in 1980 and bought an Islander 36, raced that for two years then in 1984 moved into IOR racing with an X-1 tonner, 40 feet long. I named it Arbitrage after a Grand Prix show jumper that set records as I thought it would be a great name for a boat on SF Bay (arbitraging the differential between tide and wind pressure). Sold it in 1987 when IOR was on its last legs and for the next five years mainly crewed on J-24s in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, where I was working on a project. Came back to the U.S. and did not sail for awhile, though after getting really beat-up trimming sails in 1998 in a windy J-24 Nationals in SF Bay I decided I needed to get onto something larger. After crewing on a J-105, I chose that as the right boat, then bought a neglected boat that was in San Diego, renamed it Arbitrage, and went racing.
Q: You race the 105 on both coasts. What differences do you see in the nature of competition in the racing in both places?
A: Generally the East Coast is more of a mind game with wider wind ranges, both speed and direction, while SF Bay is more physical and the wind is more consistent. On the East Coast, we tack on shifts. We do as well in San Francisco, but we often find ourselves drag racing to a favored corner to take advantage of the tide.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew out East?
A: My bowman from San Francisco, Bob Dearborn, flies in for the important regattas. Together with Scott De Weese, owner of Power Play, they handle everything from the mast to the pointy end, and I have high confidence that everything will get up and down, so we can be quite tactical in close corners. Mark Lindquist, owner of J/105 Sterling, trims sails for us when he is not racing his boat and has also come out to San Francisco, so we have good cross fertilization of ideas and techniques. It's also helpful that we have three J-105 owners on our team! Nicole Breault does main and tactics. She is a great dinghy sailor and keeps us going fast. We usually have a sixth person who helps Mark with sail trim and for that position we draw from my West Coast team, from some of Nicole's college friends, and from among my former crew at Manhattan Sailing Club, where I raced J-24s for ten years. For the past three seasons, Julia Langford and Stu Johnstone have been joining us for a few key regattas on both coasts, as well as the Copa Mexico in Puerto Vallarta in J-24s. Stu does pit and is a genius at calling the wind, and Julia is great at the bow.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I have been a serial entrepreneur. For the past ten years, I structured and operated a hedge fund-of-funds and previously was a general partner of a hedge fund group in NY. Prior to that I created an investment advisory practice in San Francisco focused on tax advantaged investing into hedge funds. I am still actively involved in some prior partnerships as a co-general partner.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: I like the size of the jib and spinnaker, so the loads are within reach of women and smaller guys and we can sail the boat with friends. It's a reasonably understandable set-up, though everyone asks us if we lengthened our forestay once the new rules went onto effect and my answer is that no, we couldn't figure out how to take advantage especially since all of the masts are in different locations and we don't understand ours as is. Both Arbitrage and Power Play have old masts, which have likely softened over time, but we're somehow able to make them work.
Q: Least?
A: I think we should have a backstay that is mechanical (on block and tackle) so the mainsheet person or driver can play it.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Together with Nelson and others in fleet 14, we worked with Skip Whyte at Wickford Yacht Club and Chuck Allen of North Sails to create the West Passage Regatta. Everyone said it was the best racing they had all year. Several fleet 6 boats and even some from Annapolis stayed around for it as the final event in the Narragansett Bay Championship, and it was won by Eclipse. We got off eight races in flat water close to the harbor, and enjoyed a low key sailing club environment for the post-race party. A lot of suppliers kicked in nice prizes for participants, and we raised some money for the youth sailing program. We are working on setting this up again for 2011 so boats on their way to Marblehead for the North Americans can stop off on the way, and then the local boatyard, Brewers Wickford Cove, will offer to put them on a trailer for shipping to Marblehead at a competitive price to save the trip through the Cape Cod Canal.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Go out for a lot of racing, but it is somewhat like golf in that going to the driving range and hitting a lot of balls does not help if you are repeating the wrong thing. You need to have good sailors on board, and that is tough to establish if you are new. Helps to bring along friends who've sailed with you on prior boats, mixed in with some who have a J-105 specific skill set.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Remove everything from the boat except what is required. Strip the bottom paint down to the bare and start over again. It is amazing how much old junk comes off. Make friends with a good rigger and change out the running rigging. All of our halyards on boats are stripped for lighter weight aloft, with the cover in place just where they hang on the sheave up top and where they go into the stoppers. Our jib and main sheets are also stripped so they run faster through the blocks when you need to duck someone quickly. We sky the halyards on messenger lines when we put the boat away so they stay clean and out of the U/V. Of course, keep the sails up to date. We sold nine sails this year, both to J-105 owners and to people who have similar size rigs, cleaned out the garage in San Francisco.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Building a good team.
Q: What do you think you could improve on?
A: My downwind sailing could get better. Quite a few of the top guys have the mainsheet in hand so they can sense the pressure being up or down. So I need to get this technique going.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: We love the AYC spring and fall series. We missed the fall series due to match racing commitments elsewhere. I hope to get back next year.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Get into clear air even if seemingly going the wrong direction. It might shift back!
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Skiing, biking, hiking
Q: What sails do you use?
A: North
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: North guide.
Q: One of your boats has a wheel, the other a tiller. Which do you prefer?
A: Tiller
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: We race year-round. We have match racing next weekend (Nov 6-7) in San Francisco on J-22s, more match racing in San Diego in late January, while the mid-winters start on the Berkeley Circle on Nov 13 and run the second Saturday of each month until the SF Bay season starts in mid-March.
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: We will do some match racing whenever we can, and will continue to race Arbitrage in San Francisco's Fleet #1, March-September. If Scott De Weese wants to team up with us again with Power Play, we'll try to come down to AYC for Spring Series, then back up to RI for the whole Fleet 14 Series.
2010 Season in Review: Fleet 6 Dominates Northeast - November 1, 2010
Racers from Fleet 6 won all but two of the major J105 one design regattas between Execution Rocks and Newport Harbor this year, once again demonstrating the competitiveness of the boats that make their home in Western Long Island Sound. All told, the 2010 season featured nine major regattas, all but one of which were attended by at least 9 boats and as many as 20.
The racing kicked off in a dramatic way with the two-weekend AYC Spring Series. Two strong story lines developed during this event, both of which spoke volumes about the rough-and-tumble battles that can take place when J105s square off on the race course.
The first story line involved a come-from-behind victory. During the first eight races of the AYC series, Damian Emery fired a flare at the rest of the fleet by snagging four victories. 2009 North American Champion Power Play, skippered by Bruce Stone, was well behind after posting an 8th and a 6th in the early going.
But in the close quarters battles that often characterize our racing, a poor start or a single wind shift often means a high figure finish. And that's exactly what happened to Emery in the next two races in the 17-boat fleet. Eclipse's 11th and 13th places dropped it into a tie with Power Play heading into the final and deciding 11th race. The light, shifty contest saw both leaders sucked into the middle of the pack. But Power Play was able to work its way into fourth, while Eclipse could only manage a seventh. Stone had pulled out the victory.
Kevin Grainger on Gumption grabbed third for the series, followed by Harald Edegrand and Jeremy Henderson on Conundrum, and George and Alex Wilbanks on Revelation. Kincsem, a frequent champion sailed by Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes, finished an uncharacteristically low sixth.
The other story line that emerged in the event..... [Editor's Note: After due consideration, the author of this account has decided to act on his own initiative and delete this part of the story from the season wrap-up. Let's just say it's all now water under the bridge, dust under the rug, bygone bygones...etc.]
*
In June, the 105 fleet converged on Cedar Point Yacht Club in Connecticut for its always well-run regatta. Cedar Point has one of the nicest facilities on the Sound and is specifically oriented toward promoting one design sailing. All J105 racers should feel at home there when they visit or participate in one of its events.
With Kincsem temporarily off licking its wounds and Power Play also not in attendance, Emery's Eclipse sailed an almost unchallenged regatta, piling up one low point finish after another: 1-1-2-1-3-1. Few may have realized it at the time, but Eclipse was just starting to show the form that would lead it to one of its best seasons ever.
Finishing second at Cedar Point (with twice as many points as Eclipse) was Josh Burack's Perigrina. The other top also-rans included: George Willbanks on Revelation in third, Nathan Boylan on Joysea in fourth, and John Koten on Planet Claire (who, for the second year in a row, amused the spectators by running aground just outside the entrance to the club) in fifth.
Eclipse dominated again at Block Island Race Week later in the month, winning five of the nine races. This was an off year for Block and only six 105s showed up to compete in the week-long event. But it was a chance for Emery and crew to continue to hone their skills for events in months to follow. The second place finisher at Block was Carl Olsson's red-hulled Morning Glory. In third was one of the top boats in the Annapolis fleet: Bat IV, sailed by Andrew Kennedy.
Next up on the circuit was the Coastal Living Newport Regatta. Although 14 boats entered in anticipation of an exciting warm-up to the East Coast Championships, as well as a chance to participate in the first ever Narragansett Bay J105 championship, a slow-passing high pressure system put a severe damper on the racing, producing little more than phantom breezes, and conditions really only improved after participants were in their cars Sunday headed home. Four races were started, but only two were finished (one ended when a brief storm passed through the area). Two races are not enough to constitute an official series nor much of warm-up for the East Coasts. At best, the event may have been a confidence builder for the team on Power Play, which led the unofficial series with two second place finishes.
New York Yacht Club Race Week, held in late July, was expected to be the the scene of this year's biggest J105 shoot out in the Northeast, with 20 boats participating. It didn't disappoint. Entrants came from Canada, Chicago, Annapolis, and Massachusetts. Fleet #6 was well represented with five boats.
From the beginning, Eclipse made it clear that it was going to be the boat to beat. It exploded out of the gate, capturing the first two races. Beverly Yacht Club's Brian Keane on Savasana managed to stay close behind, with two third place finishes. Then, in the third race of the series, Kincsem moved into challenge the two leaders with a bullet of its own. Suddenly it was a three-way battle.
Not for long. Emery stuck to a strategy of winning the pin end and hitting the left corner hard. "We're always ready to change our plan," he said later. "But what we were doing was working, so why change?" Again, the left side paid off, and again, Eclipse snagged a first. Savasana, meanwhile had a disastrous race, finishing 12th and dropping well behind both Eclipse and Kincsem.
After the fourth race, it was Emery's event to win and he did just that. Avoiding the big mistakes that had cost him earlier in the year at the AYC Spring Series, he sailed nearly error-free and grabbed a 3rd and a 1st to Kincsem's 5th and 7th. Savasana did pull close, winning the fifth race, but in the end had to settle for a third in the series.
Afterward, Emery's sunburned face was plastered with a huge smile, one that grew even larger when he was simultaneously showing off the Rolex watch he had been awarded while being interviewed by a cute reporter.
The victory seemed especially well-earned because Emery, who became Fleet #6 captain this year, began honing his 105 racing in January, campaigning first in Key West and then in Charleston at Charleston Race Week. He may not have sailed at higher speeds than any other J during the East Coast Championship, but his average speed on the course was noticeably above everyone else's. "Starting at the pin, I had the freedom to bear off and get going," he said.
Fleet #6's dominance of the top spots in the regatta was cemented when John Koten's Planet Claire came on strong to grab fifth in the event--giving Western Long Island Sound three of the top five spots in the regatta. The fourth place finisher was Bruce Stone's Power Play.
It was Stone, in fact, who was instrumental in establishing a new event this year. It was the next one up on the circuit: The West Passage Regatta sailed out of Wickford Yacht Club. The new event added a third challenge for the boats that had gone to the trouble traveling to Newport. It also constituted the third leg of the newly instituted Narragansett Bay Championship (for which Stone had arranged special prizes, as well as discount mooring).
The inaugural West Passage Regatta drew 11 boats, including four of the five top finishers from the East Coast Championship. Once more, Eclipse eclipsed the fleet, winning four of the eight races (again often starting at the pin and crossing the fleet from the left).
Kincsem, meanwhile, could manage no better than a fourth for the series, while Planet Claire settled for sixth.
Eclipse's win also brought it victory in the Narragansett Bay Series, well ahead of Kinscem in second. Koten's Planet Claire finished fifth in the three-event championship.
*
It's a fair bet that the team on Kincsem spent a lot of time discussing how they were going to change the channel on the Damian Emery Show. Heading into the Larchmont NOODs in September, Eclipse had won nearly half the races it had competed in and far more than any other boat.
But at first it looked as if Eclipse might do it again in the NOOd, nabbing a bullet in the first race. Kincsem responded by sailing down the line to the pin for the start of the second race. This time, it grabbed the favored spot and a victory. A turnaround was underway. For the next four races, Kincsem and Eclipse battled away, with Grainger's Gumption joining in the fray. When the sea spray cleared, Kincsem had won, by one point over Gumption, and two over Eclipse.
Kincsem continued its winning ways in the AYC Fall Series, which brough surfing conditions and lots of action. Esdorn and Hennes sailed to victory in four of the ten races and beat Eclipse (who won "only" three of the races) by five points. Three other boats that sailed a notable fall series were Paul Strauch on Andiamo, who won one race, and captured third; Jordan Mindich on Shakedown, who sailed consistently to grab fourth; and Dr. Carl Olsson, whose Morning Glory came in fifth and had no finish below a 9th.
*
The final regatta of the season--the Manhasset Fall Series--might have had more competitors if had hadn't been for the violent storm the passed through the area a week before the event. Conundrum was damaged beyond easy repair when another boat broke free of its mooring and smashed into it. Elmo suffered a broken wheel and Stratos, which did compete in the event, snapped its steering cable.
The outcome of Manhasset provided fitting conclusion to the 2010 season, but it took until the last day of the regatta to decide the winner. Sailing in a fresh easterly breeze on the final Sunday, Damian Emery's Eclipse picked off Planet Claire on the second weather leg and Jaded on the final downwind leg to capture victory in both the race and the series. There was still another race to sail, but with Eclipse holding a throwout of 5 points, the win gave it all the margin it needed to assure first place in the Fall championship. Then, almost as if performing a victory lap (or two), Eclipse went on to comfortably win the eighth and final race of the series--leading from the favored pin end all of the way to the finish. The regatta completed an exceptional season for Emery, who entered more East Coast J/105 events than any other boat and who won a total of five of them: Cedar Point, Block Island, the West Passage Regatta, the J/105 East Coast Championships in Newport, and finally the Manhasset Fall Series. Second place for the event went to Kincsem. Third went to Josh Burak on Peregrina; fourth to 2009 winner Kevin Granger on Gumption, and fifth to Paul Strauch on Andiamo. Twelve J/105s participated in the event, but the competition was tight as the entrants were all among the area's top performers in 2010.
FEATURE: Q&A with Kima's Nelson Weiderman - October 30, 2010
[Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a series of interviews with J105 owners in the Northeast.]
If you venture out of western Long Island Sound for Block Island or one of the racing events in Narragansett Bay, you'll likely run into Nelson Weiderman's Kima. Weiderman served as an officer in the J105 class for many years and currently captains Southern New England Fleet #14. In 2010, Nelson won Class 1 of the New England Solo Twin, placed fourth at Block Island, and ninth in the 24-boat Narragansett Bay Championship. A brief Q&A with Nelson follows:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: 15 years
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: Started 1970, Rhodes Bantam, Sunfish, PJ 15, Snipe, Laser, Cal T/4, 420
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Draw upon about 15-30 people.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: Design and build web sites. [Editor's Note: Nelson's company hosts the Fleet 6 web site at a very low cost to us.]
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: Racing
Q: Least?
A: Cruising
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Sail Newport Regatta. It's run by Sail Newport, the best local organization.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Practice, practice, practice
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: Learn how to use the national class forum and its search ability.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Light air sailing.
Q: What could our fleet do better in 2011?
A: Attract more boats.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Don't take it too seriously.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Singing, guitar, tennis.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: North
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Loosely follow North's.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: Ever heard of frostbiting?
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: Same ole, same ole.
FEATURE: Q&A with Loulou's Paul Beaudin - October 28, 2010
(Editor's Note: This is the third in a series of interviews with J105 owners in the Northeast.)
Most new J105 teams take a few years to challenge for the lead in our races. Not Paul Beaudin and the crew on Loulou, who entered into the fray of fleet 6 racing this fall and proved almost from the start that they could be fast. Loulou isn't a typical newcomer, however. Paul is an experienced racer and works at Doyle's loft on City Island. The Q&A with Paul below covers some of his initial impressions of the J105 and fleet 6:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: Picked up Loulou this summer and just started to really get into it. I sailed #34 PHRF when the J105 first came out in the early 90s.
Q: What attracted you to the class?
A:Fits perfectly with how my wife and I use a sailboat. We do a lot of social daysailing and when I get the opportunity to race my own boat, I prefer one-design. I like the class rules controlling what can be done to the boat and the crew limit. I really like that the boat is easy to handle. You don't need rock stars, you can sail with your friends and be successful.
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start racing?
A: I really started racing in my early twenties when my Dad bought one of the first J-24s. We had a C&C 35 before that but I was more interested in rock and roll than sailboat racing. I have 2 younger brothers that sailed the 24s with my Dad and I did the bow. We sailed that boat hard right through the 80's. I bought 'Adrenalin', a Kiwi 35 ultra light sport boat and in 1988 created the first cruiser/racer sprit boat by adding a retractable pole and asymmetric spinnaker. I think we had a big effect on the end of government mark racing. We were hard to beat on a reach. Our first sprit was articulating on the deck, 12 feet long and aluminum. We had no tack line, just a wire bobstay. We shredded quite a few spinnakers before we figured out a trip line for the tack shackle. We added a crazy stainless spaceframe mast and 5 trapezes. We even had a PHRF rating with the traps, but it only lasted one weekend of MBYC Fall series, then PHRF rescinded the rating. [Editor's Note: The thumbnail photo above shows a picture of this contraption.]
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Mainly friends from my J-24 crew. Dan Jennings on the main, Mercedes Tech and Tom Winston on trim, Crick Sinclair on the bow.
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I sell sails for Doyle/Ploch Sails on City Island.
Q: What do you like most about the 105 so far?
A: It's easy, relatively dry and comfortable, especially in breeze. I really like it only has three sails, roller furling, sprit pole.... and of course, the diesel.
Q: Least?
A: The integral backstay and the primary winches being too far aft to serve any purpose.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Anything at Larchmont YC. I can't believe they have a sand beach in their pool.
Q: Any early impressions of the quality of racing in our fleet?
A: Very competitive, the best one-design in the region. The fleet is helpful and friendly.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Speed comes from working on the details. Tightening up insignificant things does makes a difference. The biggest mistake a new owner can make is to assume that they are not good enough for improvements to matter. Everything matters. For myself, I know I'm not good enough to have a slower boat. In sailboat racing, boat speed equates directly to IQ. It is amazing how much smarter you are when your boat is fast.
Q:Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: The crew and boat mechanics are key. The more natural boat handling is the more you can focus 'out of the boat', where the race is. I am seriously considering removing my electronics so I am not looking down.
Q: What did you improve at most this year?
A: Being new to it, I am not really sure. Oh, I made really good lunches.
Q: What do you want to work on to get better next year?
A: I was never really much of a helmsman so steering fast and trimming my own main.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Sailboat races are won inch by inch. A boat length gain over a weather leg can mean....crossing or ducking. In a big fleet, it can mean being first or twentieth.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Skiing, snowboarding and electric bass guitar.
Q: Is there are story behind the name Loulou?
A: An obscure French term of endearment, found by my wife, Wendy. (Editor's note: Enver Hoxha, the communist dictator of Albania from 1944 to 1985 used the pseudonym Loulou, while Loulou von Brochwitz is a retro cheesecake and pinup model from Switzerland. Loulou is also a terrific french film directed by Maurice Pialat.)
Q: I assume you are using Doyle sails, correct?
A: I use Doyle Sails, I get a discount, but they are not free.
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide strictly?
A: I wrote it, but it is a moving target. Every boat and mast tunes differently. A new spar will require much less rig tension than an older spar. I set the mast butt to match the cut of the mainsail, currently pretty straight. Adjust the caps to fit the headstay sag and then the lowers and intermediates to keep the mast in column. I use calipers to measure the gaps between my turnbuckle studs and a waterproof notepad to repeat fast settings.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: I think it is a good thing to miss sailing over the winter. I don't have the budget to take the boat south.
Q: What are your 105-related plans for next year?
A: The usual regional events. I would like to get a week night one-design going in the west end and host a 105 only event at my club, Harlem Yacht Club.
FEATURE: Q&A with Jaded's Peter Rugg - October 28, 2010
(Editor's Note: This is the second installment in a series of interviews with J105 owners in the Northeast.)
Peter Rugg named Jaded after the color of the hull, not because he's developed a weary view of life on the water. Far from it. He's a solid, aggressive, and welcome competitor in many fleet 6 events, even though his boat is based out of Fisher's Island at the eastern end of the Sound. Jaded earned two second place finishes in the final three races of the just completed Manhasset Fall Series and finished in the top half of this year's East Coast Championship fleet in Newport. What follows is a brief interview with Jaded's non-jaded owner, Peter Rugg:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: Since 2007
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: Manhasset Bay One Design, Interclub, Blue Jay, Lightning, Flying Dutchman, Shields, Etchells 22, International One Design, Yamaha 33, Peterson 34, J35, Bullseye, J34, Express 37, Tripp 36, Swan 45, 48, etc, various handicap boats. I've been racing since 1954.
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: Partners Jennifer Parsons and Dudley Nostrand, our children, and friends.
Q: What do you all do professionally?
A: I clean solid fuel before it is burned, Jennifer is an event planner and manager, Dudley is a corporate technology manager and garage band guitar player.
Q: What do you like most about the 105?
A: We can excel in both one design and handicap/distance races.
Q: Least?
A: The boat has a fickle speed groove, and some competitors are slow to acknowledge an infraction of the racing rules of sailing with a 720.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: The Greenport Ocean Race, because we do it double handed and often set new speed records for the boat.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: Determine who you think makes the best sails for your boat, tune hard against a well sailed boat, adjust the rig tuning guide for your sailing style, plan for avoiding the crowds so you can sail your race in clear air.
Q: Any other insights about the boat that you would share?
A: I think the J105 class in North America has no appreciation for how well this boat can perform in handicap distance races.
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Rig tune and choosing where to go off the start.
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Have fun, look good, place well--in that order.
Q: Other sports or hobbies?
A: Sailing, playing with boats, boat racing, cruising, passage making, (did I mention boat racing?), and work--in that order.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: Ullman
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Modified Ullman guide on the caps, our formula for the rest.
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: Key West, Miami, Charleston, and Sarasota-Havana Race
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: WLIS in Spring and Fall, Block Island Race, maybe BIRW (depends on IOD Worlds), Fishers Island and NPT in mid-summer. Maybe the Marblehead/Halifax Race again.
FEATURE: Q&A with Kincsem's Joerg Esdorn - October 26, 2010
Over the next few months, the fleet 6 website hopes to profile all the boats that race in the major Northeast events. We're starting with Kincsem, one of the best sailed boats in the class. Co-owned by AYC members Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes, the dark-green hulled J only rarely finishes out of the top three at major events and is usually in contention to win right up until the final race. In 2010, Kincsem seemed to get stronger as the season progressed, winning both the AYC Fall Series and the Larchmont NOOD. While the canary-capped team wins a lot of races, its biggest strength may be its ability to avoid the mistakes on the race course that lead to poor finishes. Tactician Fred Walters keeps Kincsem out of trouble and in sync with the shifts on the course, while bowman Keith Rehder somehow manages to keep Kincsem's yellow and green chute the driest in the fleet. A brief Q&A with captain Joerg follows:
Question: How long have you been racing the 105?
Answer: Since 2000
Q: What other boats have you raced and when did you first start?
A: I started in 1997, racing frostbiting dinghies. Then Vanguard 15s with my son and Lasers. Since 2006, I've been racing 505's with my son [who skippers]. We finished 48th of 125 boats at the Worlds this year in Aarhus, Denmark, and didn't capsize once!
Q: Who is in your regular stable of crew?
A: My partner Duncan Hennes, my tactician Fred Walters, my bowman Keith Rehder and my sometimes tactician, bowman, mastman, trimmer, etc, Don Reeser have been with me since 2000. More recent additions are Rich Hulit (trimmer) and Chris Lange (mast).
Q: What do you do professionally?
A: I'm a lawyer specializing in financings for companies.
Q: What do you like most about the J/105?
A: How even the boats are and how easy to sail well, but how difficult to sail to perfection
Q: Least?
A: Too many protests. We need to have more fun together, considering how much time we spend together. We need more social events.
Q: What's your favorite event and why?
A: Block Island Race Week. The Around the Island Race is special.
Q: Anything you think the fleet should do differently in 2011?
A: Update the website more frequently.
Q: What would you tell a newcomer to the class who wants to get up to speed quickly?
A: The national website is a great resource. But if you put the bow down before you point, have the rig tighter than most will tell you and pay special attention to the speedo, you'll do fine.
Q: What areas do you think Kincsem can improve on?
A: Pin end starts :<)
Q: What did you do better at this year?
A: Pin end starts. [Editor's note: Beware Eclipse.]
Q: Do you have a basic race philosophy?
A: Start first, extend from there
Q: Any other sports or hobbies?
A: Running (when I still could); biking is a recent addition.
Q: What sails do you use?
A: UK
Q: Do you follow the tuning guide or have your own formula?
A: Own formula
Q: Is there a story behind the name of your boat?
A: Kincsem is the name of the most successful race horse of all time. She was a Hungarian mare that raced in the 19th Century and won all the 54 races it entered. The name means "my treasure" in Hungarian. Check out this recent writeup comparing her to Zenyatta, the recent horse racing sensation. http://www.examiner.com/equestrian-in-national/kincsem-the-winningest-racehorse-of-all-time
Q: What will you do to not miss sailing this winter?
A: Probably nothing
Q: What are your plans for next year?
A: In addition to the local regattas, will do Block, the Newport circuit and the NAs in Marblehead
Watch This Space - October 25, 2010
The 2010 racing season may be over, but the activity on this website is just beginning. Over the coming months, we will be publishing profiles of each of the J-105s that compete in the major Northeast regattas (assuming all owners cooperate). The site will also cover issues of importance to the class and keep readers abreast of plans for 2011. By sharing more information, we hope to foster a friendly and lively vibe for one of the strongest one-design keelboat fleets in the U.S.
Eclipse Wins Manhasset Bay Fall Series - October 24, 2010
It only took one race on the final day of the season to decide the champion of the Manhasset Bay Fall Series. Sailing in a fresh easterly breeze, Damian Emery's Eclipse picked off Planet Claire on the second weather leg and Jaded on the final downwind leg to capture victory in both the race and the series. There was still another race to sail, but with Eclipse holding a throwout of 5 points, the win gave it all the margin it needed to assure first place in the Fall championship. Then, almost as if performing a victory lap (or two), Eclipse went on to comfortably win the eighth and final race of the series--leading from the favored pin end all of the way to the finish. The regatta completed an exceptional season for Emery, who entered more East Coast 105 events than any other boat and who had won four of them leading into Manhasset: Cedar Point, Block Island, the West Passage Regatta and the J105 East Coast Championships in Newport. Second place for the Manhasset Fall Series went to Kincsem, sailed by Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes. Third went to Josh Burak on Peregrina; fourth to 2009 winner Kevin Grainger on Gumption, and fifth to Paul Strauch on Andiamo. (Special note: At the end of racing on Saturday, Strauch was just two points behind Eclispe. But Andiamo hit a rock on its return to Manhasset and the boat was too damaged to race. On Sunday, Nathan Boylan generously offered to let Strauch helm JoySea. After much discussion, however, it was determined that Joysea wouldn't be scored as Andiamo in the final two races.) Twelve J-105s participated in the two weekend event, but the competition was tight as the entrants were all among the area's top performers in 2010. full results
Manhasset Fall Series #2 (Saturday) - October 23, 2010
Long Island's roulette wheel winds (or so they seemed to some of the more befuddled among us) produced three separate race winners on Saturday and jumbled the standings heading into the final day. Josh Burak's Peregrina captured its second win of the series during the first race; Kevin Grainger's Gumption snagged the second race, and the final race of the day was won by Paul Strauch on Andiamo. Strauch's boat was the only one in the fleet that consistently predicted what the fluky winds were going to do next. And that was a quite a feat on a day that featured 30 degree shifts and saw both the left and right sides of the course alternately favored. Strauch's 2-3-1 finishes were by far the best of the day and moved Andiamo into second place in the standings behind Damian Emery's Eclipse. The Esdorn-less Kincsem dropped to third and Paul Beaudin on Loulou fell from third to sixth in the tight racing. The series looked in jeopardy for Emery during the first race when he rounded the weather mark at the tail end of the fleet. But Eclipse managed to fight its way back to fifth for the race by smartly banging the right corner on the final downwind leg. He followed that up with a second and a fourth in the next two races and leads the series by two points over Strauch and three points over Duncan Hennes and Joerg Esdorn on Kincsem.
Manhasset Fall Series #1 - October 18, 2010
Two points separate the top three boats after the first three races of the series, sailed in moderate, but fickle westerly winds on Sunday. Damian Emery's Eclipse currently lies in first with finishes of 1-5-1 for seven points. Eclipse is followed by AYC Fall Series Winner Kincsem with eight points and fleet newcommer Paul Beaudin on Loulou, with nine points. Beaudin, who works at Doyle Sails on City Island, has been a welcome mid-season addition to the fleet and has been showing improved speed and form with each passing weekend. The other race winner on Sunday was Josh Burack on Peregrina. The J-105 is the largest one-design class participating in the Manhasset event. Races were called on Saturday because of gale force winds (gust in excess of 50 knots were recorded three times at Execution Rocks). Nevertheless, three 105s ventured out to play for the day, with one of them reporting surfing at more than 17 knots. For full results
Powerplay wins the AYC Spring Series - May 3, 2010
Congratulations to Bruce Stone and the Powerplay team for the overall victory of the AYC Spring Series. Damian Emery (Eclipse) and Kevin Grainger (Gumption) finished second and third, respectively.
The Sound presented itself in its usual mood with two weekends of racing in a wide range of wind and weather conditions. Some of the highlights included thrilling high-speed planing with winds in excess of 20 knots during the first weekend and a dramatic 170 degree wind shift in the middle of a race during the second weekend.
Thanks to the American Yacht Club for organizing and running a total of eleven races.
Final results
J-105 Narragansett Bay Championship Tour - February 18, 2010
Fleet 14 (Southern New England) is pleased to announce the J-105 Narragansett Bay Championship Tour consisting of three closely-spaced regattas that typically draw competitors from Marblehead to Annapolis:
Coastal Living Sail Newport (July 10-11)
NYYC Rolex/J-105 East Coast Championship (July 17-19)
Wickford Yacht Club West Passage Regatta (August 7-8)
To make it easy for out-of-towners, Brewer Wickford Cove Marina, adjacent to Wickford Yacht Club, will haul, power wash and store visiting boats during the Tour at deeply discounted rates.
During the West Passage Regatta, Sampson Rigging will award the top boats their choice of its newest hi-tech sheets and halyards, West Marine will spice up the Saturday night dinner with some exciting product giveaways, and Waterline Systems, the Portsmouth RI builder of the J-105, will award the overall Tour winner the J-105 Narragansett Bay Championship half-model perpetual trophy along with gift certificates for spare parts (anyone need new floorboards, some stanchions or a pushpit?)
Along with these generous product contributions, North Sails will provide mark set boats during the West Passage Regatta as well as offering on-the-water coaching for all comers on Friday, August 6, followed by a debrief and welcome party at Wickford Yacht Club.
For further information, contact Nelson Weiderman (Nelson@weiderman.com) of Fleet 14
Bermuda Race Week - February 1, 2010
The Vice President of the local fleet in Bermuda, James Macdonald, is extending an invitation of his fleet 21 to members of our fleet 6 to race a J105 at the end of April in the Bermuda Race Week. According to James, the local fleet is proposing to make at least one of their boats available to overseas sailors. The event takes place April 24-30. Please contact James (+1 441 299 4950 or james.macdonald@conyersdillandpearman.com) if you are interested. NOR available here.
Please pay your class dues - January 21, 2010
Those of you who haven't done this yet, please take a moment to pay your 2010 class dues. National dues for 2010 membership are $40 for the first Owner/Co-Owner for every boat and then $30 for subsequent Co-Owners and for Associates. Fleet 6 local dues are $65. We strongly encourage members to make an online payment, which saves both your own and your treasurer's time. You can find the link to the online payment here: Express Renewal
New Documents Posted - January 20, 2010
The 2009 final results, the minutes for the annual meeting held January 9th and the 2009 treasury report have been posted - please check them out!
Manhassett Bay Fall Series, Oct 17-18 & 24-25 - October 10, 2009
The last fleet 6 races before the 2009 North American Championship will be hosted by the historic Manhassett Bay Yacht Club. Known for great October winds, 12 J105s have entered the series as of Friday, Oct 9th. Competition will be close between ANDIAMO, ECLIPSE, GUMPTION3, JADED, JOYSEA, KINCSEM, PEREGRINA, REVELATION, SKIPPERDEE, and TOLO. Visitors are POWER PLAY from San Francisco and BLOWN AWAY from New Hampshire. KINCSEM won the AYC Fall Series. ECLIPSE won the AYC Spring Series and Larchmont Race Week. POWER PLAY won Block Island Race Week. JOYSEA won the Cedar Point One Design Regatta. GUMPTION3 won the Stamford Overnight Race. ANDIAMO has the home field advantage as a member of the host club. REVELATION is due for a regatta victory after so many close calls this year. JADED, PEREGRINA, SKIPPERDEE and TOLO are also evenly matched and could be the next Fleet 6 winner. BLOWN AWAY is the wild card coming down to the western end of Long Island Sound for some local practice before the North American Championship.
Contributed by John Corwin
13 Year Old Haley Okun helms Gumption3 to victory in the Stamford Overnight Race - October 9, 2009
Haley Okun - 13 years old. International J105 Hall of Fame crew and youngest Fleet 6 crew member to sail and win the 2009 Stamford Yacht Club Overnight Race, has won her division and finished second overall for the SYC Cows Trophy, October 4th. After doing well at sailing camp this summer, Haley, was allowed to helm in a big boat regatta. With fellow Gumption3 crew members, Andy Okun trimming main and John Corwin trimming the head sails, Haley dove out from behind the wind shadows at the start and began passing the other boats in her fleet. Her Mother, Liz called tactics and Haley wore down the bigger boats of division A. Haley's younger brother, Gavin, did a great job on the bow and is thinking about getting a job on a J105 next summer, but the family Melges 24 is cool for now.
Submitted by John Corwin
AYC Fall Second Weekend - September 30, 2009
The second weekend of the American Yacht Club's 2009 Fall Series was a lot more fun than the first one, with good winds both days. Long distance travelers CREATIVE DESTRUCTION and TWO FEATHERS were unable to attend and were missed. The greatest comeback was achieved by Paul Strauch and the crew of ANDIAMO, ending up sixth overall after a weak first weekend. Along with 3 first place finishes, ECLIPSE got a seventh on Saturday and an eleventh on Sunday so KINCSEM won overall even though KINCSEM got a thirteenth on Sunday. Bruce Stone and crew of POWER PLAY won the last race and ended up third overall. RELEVATION, GUMPTION3, and ANDIAMO won the other races. STRANGE BREW and PEREGRINA each scored a second and third place over the weekend. Silver Fleet winners were PLANET CLAIRE, JOYSEA and WOODY.
Contributed by John Corwin
results
AYC Fall - September 22, 2009
With the Z flag flying, three races were completed on Saturday of the first weekend of the 2009 American Yacht Club Fall Series. The wind was a gusty northerly, clear air was hard to find, but the shifts and leverage made climbing the ladder pay off. The J105s were once again the "big fleet" with 23 entered. Twice as big as any other. Sunday was a dud, with no wind or races. REVELATION and KINCSEM are tied for first place, with ECLIPSE, GUMPTION3 AND POWERPLAY just a point or two behind.
results
Savasana wins the NOOD - September 19, 2009
Although sailing in the rain on Saturday wasn't everyone's cup of tea, the fleet enjoyed the fact that there was good breeze for both days of the NOOD. With 21 boats entered, racing was close on both days and 7 good races were completed. Brian Keane's Savasana won by a few points over Eclipse, Revelation, Cunundrum and Gumption3. Unfortunately, there were a couple of collisions that took out Jato and Peregrina. Crossing our fingers that both boats will be back racing soon! results
2009 Stamford Overnight Race became the Longest/Closest J105 match race. - August 24, 2009
GUMPTION 3 defeated ECLIPSE by 15 seconds after an all night endurance race of boat handling and tactics in which two thirds of the race was sailed in unfavorable tide, but the passing, crossing and wind changes kept the race on edge. The scheduled Fleet 6 J105 One Design season qualifier had a low turnout, crushed by Hurricane Bill, but it became a great match race among J105 skippers Kevin Grainger and Damian Emery and their boats (GUMPTION 3 and ECLIPSE) under extreme conditions, both highs and lows and a challenging mix of clear sky, clouds and squalls.
No phrf boat rating 90 or higher finished before the time limit expired except GUMPTION 3 & ECLIPSE, finishing 2nd and 3rd Overall for the Stamford Overnight Race. Also GUMPTION 3 & ECLIPSE finished 4 minutes before a King 40, AMERICAN GIRL (phrf rating 6 sec/mile) and defeated an X41, PENDRAGON (phrf rating 15 sec/mile) on corrected time.
Stamford Overnight Race is Next on the Fleet 6 Schedule - July 23, 2009
The race starts on August 21 at 1900. It is essentially a race around Stratford Shoal. The starting area is at red bell "32," the Cows. The approximately 47 mile course then proceeds to Lighted Bell "18," Point No-Point, to Whistle BW "PJ" MO (A), to the Cows, and to the finish line between the breakwaters at Stamford Harbor. This will be a nice change of pace from the around the buoys racing! link to more info
Eclipse takes Larchmont race week, with Revelation 2nd and Andiamo 3rd - July 23, 2009
Larchmont Race Week this year was no "drift week." The first weekend, in particular, was blessed with great winds into the Twenties. The second weekend the breeze was a bit more iffy. On Saturday, the RC decided to run a long distance race around government marks all the way to the LI shore and then out to Greenwich. With a weak West/Southwesterly fighting the Northerly, the race turned out to be a 4 hour affair with few lead changes until the last upwind leg. That's when it really paid to get into the Northerly breeze under the Connecticut shore coming back to buoy 42. Eclipse, Bottle Rocket and Kincsem hit the shore hardest and finished 1, 2, 3. Sunday saw a weak Southerly at the start of the first (and only) race that got progressively weaker. At the first windward mark, Joysea and others had a hard time to outsail the East-running current, with some boats taking several tacks only to find themselves in the same place after another few minutes of sailing! The RC wisely shortened course at the leeward mark and then sent us all in after a long wait for the forecast breeze. Naturally, the breeze materialized when we were just back in the harbor!
Congratulations to Eclipse on yet another win this season! Damian won the Charles Vanderlaan trophy for the best cruising yacht performance. link to scores
Fleet 6 weigh-in at McMichael's Tuesday August 11, 2009. - May 19, 2009
An opportunity to weigh your j105 and obtain a valid weight certificate is being offered at McMichael's Yacht Yard on Tuesday August 11th 2009. The cost is a discounted $275 and prior reservation with the fleet 6 measurer, Josh Burack (jhburack@aol.com) is required by August 1st. Please arrange to have your boat weighed this summer!
A second and final opportunity to weigh the boat will be offered in the week preceeding the North American Chammpionships, but the number of boats being weighed will be very limited and priority will be given to travelling boats being launched at McMichaels.
Eclipse wins AYC Spring by 1 point over Kincsem - May 3, 2009
Racing on the second weekend was very tight - again. With a forecast for winds of 5kn or less, the RC had a tough time getting races off, but luckily, conditions were generally sailable and good fun was had by all. Team Eclipse got the best of it and showed great recovery skills, pulling off passes in the last few yards of most every race. Way to go, Damian & co! Congratulations, too, to Peter Rugg on Jaded who pulled off a third place, beating out a number of long timers in the class! The top five were rounded out by Revelation and Shakedown. Great sailing also from our guest from the Far Coast, Bruce Stone from SF, who showed us locals how to master our light stuff, pulling off two firsts and a second. Had it not been for a late delivery resulting in a missed first day, who knows what Team Powerplay would have done?
Next regatta is Cedar Point on June 6-7. I encourage everyone to enter this great regatta - we're hoping to pull in a few boats from Eastern LIS for this one as well. Cedar Point puts on a great program for this regatta and we should all show our appreciation! It's just a few hours sail - last time I did it in just over three hours on Friday night! See you all there!
Joerg full results
Enter your boat to win fun prizes!! - May 1, 2009
This year, as part of the High Point Series, we will be giving away "fun prizes" to boats that race in the local events! The following prizes will be awarded, based on the cumulative results of entrants in the season series:
1) Best high-point series result by a boat with 2 or more family members aboard
2) Best high-point series result by a boat with at least 2 women crew
3) Most improved boat over last year
4) J105 Fleet 6 rookie of the year
5) Best series result with at least one teenager as crew
As always, in order to be eligible you must be an active member of Fleet 6. You can enter your boat by sending an e-mail to nkilarjian@yahoo.com.
Eclipse leads by 12 points after the first weekend of AYC Spring - April 27, 2009
Twenty J105s were out for this last weekend, a recent record. Damien Emery's team on Eclipse sailed brilliantly on the first weekend, finishing with only 7 points in 4 races. Kincsem, Peregrina, Jaded and Woody round out the top five. Conditions were challenging - more like Larchmont Race Week than the traditionally cool and windy AYC Spring Series. Long Island Sound served up races with wind speed between 6 and 22 knots in one race on Saturday. On Sunday, it was very light and at times, redefining "shifty". Good fun was had by all nonetheless, everyone enjoying the warm and sunny conditions.
Looking forward to next weekend, which is supposed to be cooler. full results
AYC Spring Registration; Tuneup Event - March 16, 2009
Registration for the AYC Spring Regatta is now open. Please see the link below.
On Saturday, April 18, we will have a tune up event. We will meet at 11 am on the AYC dock and go out on Kincsem, Gumption3 and other boats, if available, for a sail. This is supposed to be an informal event where people can jump from boat to boat and check out how the boats are rigged, how maneuvers work and ask questions. This was very successful last year and this year we are trying to get more boats out. We are probably going to have our rib available to shuttle people from boat to boat. Let me know at jhesdorn@gmail.com if you want to participate and whether you are bringing your boat.
Joerg Esdorn AYC Spring Registration
National Rules Change Submissions Approved - January 27, 2009
All submissions we discussed and voted on at our Fleet meeting on January 3 were approved on the national level, including those we did not favor. All these become part of the national rules as of 2/1/09. Please make sure you familiarize with these changes. Link to submissions and discussion on the National Forum
Date of Fleet Party - January 19, 2009
Please make a note in your calendars for the date of the fleet 6 party: November 14 at 7pm at AYC.
New Documents Posted - January 6, 2009
The 2008 final results and the minutes for the annual meeting held this past Saturday have been posted - please check them out!
Annual Meeting Scheduled for Saturday, January 3, 2009, at noon at McMichaels - November 30, 2008
Please make a note in your calendars. The agenda of the meeting will include the following:
1 Treasurer's report
2 Election of officers
3 Dues
4 National rules changes
5 Distribution of trophies for the 2008 season
6 2009 Schedule
7 2009 NAs
8 2009 Fleet activities
9 Other business
As per the bylaws, nominations for fleet officer positions must be received by December 31, 2008. For the national rules changes, please be sure to review the proposals and the extensive discussion on the forum of the national website.
Additional materials will be distributed ahead of the meeting.
Happy Holidays!
Joerg Esdorn
Fleet Captain
Kincsem wins Manhasset by 8 points - November 30, 2008
After two great weekends of racing, including high winds on the second weekend, the Kincsem team (7 points) won by 8 points over Gumption3 and Peregrina, each tied with 15 points. Eclipse and Andiamo were 4th and 5th with 16 and 24 points.
Kincsem, representing American Yacht Club, also won the Manhasset Bay Challenge Cup, which was contested on the second weekend of MBFS. Joysea, representing Glenn Island YC, and Andiamo, representing Manhasset Bay YC, were 2nd and 3rd, respectively. link to scores
Manhasset Bay Fall Series and Challenge Cup is Next - Free Moorings Available - October 4, 2008
Our last regatta this season will be the Manhasset Bay Fall Series on October 18/19 and 25/26. Weather conditions for this regatta are always great - we always see 20knots or more for at least one or two of the days at that time of year, and the water and air are still warm. Don't miss it! As an added incentive this year, thanks to the efforts of Paul Strauch, we have free moorings available at MBYC - just call the dockmaster or check the box during electronic entry. Entry deadline is October 11 to avoid late fee - do it now, guys! electronic entry
Kincsem wins AYC Fall by two points over Eclipse - September 29, 2008
After a first weekend of challenging light air conditions, this past weekend saw one great day of racing in 12-18 kn of breeze. On Sunday there again was no wind and the RC finally called it a day at 1:00 p.m. After a three way tie, with Kincsem, Shakedown and Revelation in first place at the end of the first weekend, the Kinscem team (13 points), with partner Duncan Hennes driving, pulled off a win by two points over Eclipse (15) who put on a big charge after a disappointing first weekend. Revelation (21), Powerplay (23) and Gumption (23) round out the top five. Racing through the fleet was tight for the weekend as usual - the J105s were again the most competitive fleet of the regatta. For full results, see the link below.
full results
Kincsem wins NOOD and Long Island Sound Championship by One Point - September 10, 2008
Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes’ KINCSEM team successfully defended the Long Island Sound Championship (which was sailed as part of the Larchmont NOOD regatta). While tropical storm Hanna threatened to ruin the weekend, there were only a few sprinkles during racing on Saturday and the Larchmont RC was able to run 6 races in great conditions. On Saturday, the breeze was between 6 and 12kn from SW, wandering left throughout the day and ending up in the East at the end. With 22 boats entered, racing was tight and only a few points separated the top boats at the end of the day: Kincsem 6, Peregrina 10, Savasanah and Eclipse tied at 13 and JoySea at 16. Racing concluded just in time before the torrential rains of Hanna started. Everyone got wet, alright, but most boats got the sails down before the show started.
Sunday saw plenty of sun and a shifty Northwester that was up and down from 6kn to 13kn all day. Racing got even tighter. With Brian Keane's Savasanah having two second places vs. Kincsem's two fourth place finishes in the first two races of the day, everything came down to the last race. At the top mark of the last downwind leg, Savasanah was in the lead, with Kincsem in fourth behind Damian Emery's Eclipse and Andy Gillis' JATO by a few lengths. It thus appeared that Savasanah was going to win the regatta, but Kincsem managed to beat JATO across the line by a few feet, thus finishing in third for the race and first by one point over Savasanah for the regatta. Eclipse, Peregrina and Conundrum rounded out the top five. full results
Manhasset Bay Challenge Cup - September 10, 2008
The Manhasset Bay Challenge Cup is the oldest continually contested trophy in the United States. Only the Americas Cup and the Brooklyn Cup are older and they are contested less frequently.
Booth Bay Harbor Yacht Club is defending the Cup and has elected to do so in J-105's. This year, the Manhasset Bay Challenge Cup will be contested as part of and during the second weekend of the Manhasset Bay Fall Series - i.e. those boats participating in the cup, will be scored both for the MBFS and for the Cup. The Fall Series is October 18-19 and October 25-26 this year and the Manhasset Bay Challenge Cup will be contested within the J105 fleet as part of the second weekends racing only.
Only those boats entered from a organized yacht club in good standing with waterfront and clubhouse facilities and a member of the US Sailing Association will be scored for the Manhasset Bay Challenge Cup.
See the NOR below.
NOR for Manhasset Bay Challenge Cup
Eclipse takes Larchmont race week, with Peregrina 2nd and Gumption3 3rd - July 23, 2008
Larchmont race week surprised everyone this year with excellent sailing conditions for the entire 2 weekend regatta. No “driftweek” here! A strong east coast heat wave generated southwesterly breezes that built to 15-18 kts by the end of each day. 15 J105’s competed in the event and the J105 class was the largest and only OD fleet in the “Cruising Division”. The Race Committee work was flawless; a rather generous start line was provided; and 11 races, with one throwout, were completed. Each race of the series was 4 leg windward-leeward courses, with a range of between 1.25 and 2 miles per leg.
The competition was tight, with 5 different boats (Eclipse, Peregrina, Gumption, Kincsem, and Joysea) each earning bullets. After a stellar first weekend, Joerg Esdorn and his crew aboard Kincsem (8) clung to a 3 point lead over Eclipse (11), closely followed by Peregrina (13), with Andiamo (23) Gumption (25) and Joysea (26) all in the hunt for the top five. Unfortunately, Kincsem was on her way to Newport for the East Coast Championships and Andiamo had a mid-week mishap with Big Tom rock off City Island and both boats missed the second weekend. Paul Strauch and Joerg Esdorn and their crews were missed, both on the water and at the LYC parties.
As per the norm for Long Island Sound, the sea breeze was variable and a bit more fluky the second weekend and a single shift could bring both agony and ecstasy to different sides of the course. As he has done many times before, Damian Emery and his crew on Eclipse had a 6th sense for the breeze as they demonstrated in race 8, where they banged the corners and went from first to last to first. Sound familiar? In the end, Eclipse won the regatta with 23 points, followed by Josh Burack and his team on Peregrina (31) taking second and Kevin Grainger on Gumption 3 (39) placing third. Both Nathan Boylan on Joysea (44) and Andy Gillis on Jato (57) had strong second weekend performances and finished in the top five. It was an excellent mid-summer regatta, and a must for participation next year.
full results
Larchmont RW is next - July 2, 2008
Our next event is Larchmont RW - starts July 12. See the link below for registration. Hope to see you all there! Larchmon RW registration
July 16 Weighing Event - July 2, 2008
Hallo everyone - Reminder that July 16 is the big weighing event at McMichaels. Tentative time is 10am. Please contact Matt Berger (copied above)if you want your boat weighed. Beginning the second weekend of Larchmont Race Week, all boats racing must have been weighed and need to have a valid weight certificate on board, which must be signed by Matt, our measurer. We've negotiated an excellent deal here with McM - so don't miss this event if your boat has not been weighed. We will not organize any more group events and your boat isn't class legal unless it's been weighed and the appropriate weight has been added and certified by Matt. So please take advantage of this opportunity!
Joerg Esdorn
Eclipse wins Cedar Point One Design Regatta - July 2, 2008
Damian Emery won the first regatta of the Pro Series by one point over Kevin Grainger on Gumption3. The Wilbanks on Revelation were third by one more point. Close racing indeed! full results
Eclipse wins AYC Spring Series by 1 point - May 5, 2008
This Saturday was more of the same as last weekend: Grey clouds, cool temps, strong Easterly winds and 3-4 foot waives. But with 5 knots more breeze than last weekend, the J105s had even more fun and were on the plane for minutes at a time downwind. We saw top speeds in excess of 18 knots on Kincsem while spray was flying everywhere but in total control (well, except for that one botched crash jibe we had to do in order to avoid a boat in another class sailing without a chute ...). We didn't see many chutes in the other classes on our course (except for chutes used for fishing) and on the East Course they abandone racing after the first race because the wind picked up to a constant 25 to 30. The 105s, as usual, had few problems. Interestingly, in the second race, the leader, Paul Straub from Andiamo, relates he caught all boats on our course except for 2 J120s that had started 15 minutes ahead of the 105s!
Sunday was another beautiful day for sailing, this time with warm and gentle breezes from the South. At the end, Damian Emery won by one point over Team Kincsem, with Paul Straub in third. It was an awesome start to the season!
Joerg Link to Results
J105 Clinic on May 17 at AYC - May 1, 2008
We now need definitive sign ups for this clinic. Kerry Klingler from UK and his team will be there. We need at least 5 to 6 boats to volunteer for this. Kerry and sailors from some of the top boats in the fleet will jump on your boat and offer tips on the spot and we'll discuss afterwards for everyone's benefit. Please email Joerg if you're coming. Also, if you're willing to be the video man or woman (we have a camera and a RIB), let Joerg know. Please ask around among your crew for volunteers.
Tuning talk at 430 pm after Racing on Saturday May 3 - May 1, 2008
Please come to the JAYC house (under the J105 flag) at 430 and discuss tuning and tactics with the top boats that day. Damian Emery will be there this Saturday - he had boat repairs to take care of last weekend. Don't miss it!
Season Results Posted - May 1, 2008
Season results for 2007 have now been posted. We tried to hand out trophies last weekend at AYC after racing but many of the winners were not there. Please pick up your trophies at the AYC front desk - but be careful, many are in the wrong boxes. So please unpack to make sure you got the right one. Here's the summary of the results:
High Point A
1 Kincsem
2 Gumption 3
3 Morning Glory
High Point B
1 Tolo
2 Sheherazade
3 JATO
Pro Series A
1 Revelation
2 Arbitrage
3 Eclipse
Pro Series B
1 JATO
2 Elmo
3 5 Cent
In the Pro Series, only Revelation qualified (75% of races were required), but your fleet officers decided to give trophies to the boats that had 66% in the A fleet and 66% and 33% in the B fleet (in that order). Congratulations to all!
This year, we had voted for a 65% minimum participation level and there is no separate B fleet. Now that you all can see the result, please let me know whether you are still in agreement with that format or would prefer a lower participation requirement (50%, for example) and would prefer a B fleet. I'll put up a quick poll for the B fleet now and will re-run the quick poll for the minimum participation in a week or so. Please only one vote per boat so we can get an accurate count. 2007 Season Standings
Eclipse leads by 1 point after the first weekend of AYC Spring - April 28, 2008
We had two great days of sailing this weekend, with winds gusting to 25kn on Saturday and winds in the 7 to 12kn range on Sunday. With 17 boats entered, the J105 class was again the largest one design class in the regatta and the racing was very competitive. Eclipse, Kincsem and Peregrina are 1, 2 and 3 after the weekend. Unfortunately, two boats had to drop out Saturday, JATO with a broken forestay and Woody after a collision with a boat in another division. We hope both boats will be back on the line next weekend! Link to Results
2007 Season Standings - April 15, 2008
The scores for the 2007 season will be available on Saturday of AYC Spring's first weekend after racing. Sorry for the delay. We'll meet at the JAYC house in the dry sail area under the red J105 flag and hand out the prizes while enjoying a keg of Spaten. See you all there!
Entry deadline for AYC coming up - April 12, 2008
To date, we got 12 boats registered for AYC Spring. Late fee kicks in after this coming Friday, April 18. Click below for the direct link to the entry system.
If anyone needs crew, let me or anyone of the other officers know and we'll see what can be done. But please also put a post on the crew finder page on the Fleet 6 website.
See you all in a couple of weeks!
Joerg Entry for AYC Spring
Clinic is now scheduled for May 17 - April 7, 2008
Thanks everyone for voting. The scheduled date for the clinic will be May 17. We are still looking for volunteers to be on the "coaching staff." Without a significant number of volunteers from the top boats we cannot run a good clinic - please email me! Thanks. Joerg
Weigh your J105 at McMichaels on June 5 - April 1, 2008
As was discussed at the fleet meeting, all boats must have a valid weight certificate by Larchmont Race Week. There will be a weighing event at McMichaels in July - date TBD. For those who are going to Block Island Race and don't have a valid weight certificate, there is an opening to weigh one more boat on June 5 at McM for $275. Please contact Nathan Boylan to make arrangements - Nathan.Boylan@us.cibc.com. Thanks very much to Nathan for organizing this!
Joerg
REMINDER: PLEASE PAY YOUR CLASS DUES - March 30, 2008
Please save your fleet treasurer some time by using the online payment system on the left menu. Thanks!
Fleet 6 Gathering on Saturdays after racing at AYC Spring - March 30, 2008
Like last year, we will be enjoying our own keg after racing on both Saturdays of the AYC Spring Regatta. we will gather at the JAYC house in the dry sail area (where the hoists are). Watch for the red J105 flag. The winners of the day will be sharing their "secrets" with all of us and we'll be debating what made a difference that day. Don't miss it!
If you have not yet registered, you should do so by April 18 to avoid a late payment fee. See the link below. Joerg
AYC Spring registration
Spring Tune-up Event - March 28, 2008
We've had to change the date of the event - so now there are two options: April 13 or May 17. Please use the new voting function on the right side of this page to indicate which one you prefer. One vote per boat only PLEASE! We have Kerry Klingler and his team lined up for either of these days but we need at least four or five boats in the water participating - so please let me know which date works better by voting. We also need volunteers from the top racers in the fleet to share their insights with everyone. Please send me an email if you or someone from your boat is willing to volunteer Cheers. Joerg
Wednesday racing - March 4, 2008
There will be racing on Wednesday nights at the EBYRA (www.ebyra.org) series and indications are that there will be at least six J105's this year. If we get between 6-8 J105's the RC will likely give us our own start. The key thing here is to show up at the EBYRA skippers meeting (not sure of the date yet) or register on-line, or the interested owners can let Josh Burack know if they intend to register. Eastchester Bay has a competitive atmosphere and is 45 minutes from New Rochelle, and maybe 20 minutes more from Larchmont and Mamaroneck. Contact jhburack@aol.com if you're interested in this.
Changed Date for Cedar Point OD Regatta - February 23, 2008
Please note the corrected date for Cedar Point OD regatta: June 7 & 8. Cheers.
Fleet 6 Meeting - January 13, 2008
On January 12, the fleet meeting was held at McMichaels. We had a good turnout and very good meeting. See the minutes under "Fleet Business". See you all for the first fleet 6 event, the Tune up on April 19. Read all about it in the minutes.
Fleet 6 Meeting - January 8, 2008
Happy New Year to everyone and a quick reminder that the fleet meeting will be at McMichaels at 2pm this coming Saturday, January 12. Please be sure to bring a check to pay your 2008 fleet and national dues - otherwise, you won't be entitled to vote at the meeting!
Here's a tentative agenda:
1. Treasurer's report
2. Election of officers; nominated are:
Joerg Esdorn - Kincsem, Captain
Andrew Gillis - Jato, Treasurer
Norm Kilarjian - Tolo, Secretary
Matt Berger - Rag Doll, Measurer
3. Approval of fleet 6 dues for 2008; proposal to increase to $65 per boat, bringing the total national and fleet dues to $100
4. Vote on the three proposed rules changes for the National Class; unlike that you've missed the buzz, but if you did, check out the first four threads at http://www.j105.org/discus/messages/6/6.html?1196256516.
5. Discussion of weight rule, which is effective 2/1/08. Float lines no longer work in 2008.
6. Discussion of schedule for 2008; for those who can't make it to the meeting, please email me (jesdorn@gibsondunn.com) your responses to the tentative list below. Also, let us know what other regattas we should be considering.
Fleet 6 Schedule 2008
Season Champs Yes Maybe
Apr. 26-27 AYC Spring wknd#1
May 3-4 AYC Spring wknd#2
May 17-18 Greenwich Cup
June 7-8 Cedar Point One Design
July 12-13 Larchmont RW #1
July 19-20 Larchmont RW #2
[Aug 30-31] YRA Champs
Sept. 20-21 AYC Fall wknd # 1
Sept. 27-28 AYC Fall wknd # 2
Oct. 18-19 Manhasset Fall #1
Oct. 25-26 Manhasset Fall #2
Long Distance
May [23-25] Block Island Race
[June 28]Stratford Shoals Race
Other Regattas
June 18-22 Block Island Race Week
July 24-27 NYYC East Coast Champs
September 6-7 Larchmont NOOD
7. Talk about fleet events for 2008 - including a tune up event, probably on April 19.
8. Talk about 2009 Nas.
If anyone has other agenda items, please let me know.
See you all on Saturday!
Joerg Esdorn
Fleet 6 Meeting - December 4, 2007
The fleet meeting has been rescheduled to January 12 at 2pm at McMichaels and the dinner will be on February 16 - place TBD. Please make a note of it in your calendars.
Here is the agenda for the owners' meeting:
treasurer's report
election of officers
approval of fleet 6 dues for 2008
vote on the three proposed rules changes for the National Class
Start discussing schedule for 2008
talk about fleet events for 2008 - including a tune up event, probably on April 19.
Happy holidays to everyone! Joerg Esdorn
Owners' Meeting and Annual Dinner on December 1 at AYC - November 19, 2007
Here are the details for the owners' meeting and dinner on December 1 at AYC:
The owner's meeting will start promptly at 6pm and there will be free drinks for owners.
The annual dinner will start of with cocktails and hors d'oevres at 730 and will roll into dinner at 815 or so. Here's the menu for the dinner:
* Soup to start
* Tuscan Chicken - Roast Breast of Chicken Stuffed with Spinach, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Fontina Cheese, Roasted Potatoes, Haricot Vert, Marsala Demi Glace
OR
* Pan Seared Artic Char, caramelized endive, pecans & capers, brown butter sauce
* Dessert – trio of sorbets
The cost of the dinner, including hors d'oevres and AYC house wine with dinner, will be $50 per person. There will be a cash bar for cocktails and for dinner in case people would like something other than AYC house wine with dinner.
Please let me know how many people there will be for your boat. Please bring checks to the dinner. Looking forward to seeing you all there.
PS: Anybody know who has the Joe Shultz-Heik trophy?
Joerg Esdorn
Owners' Meeting and Annual Dinner on December 1 at AYC - November 14, 2007
As previously announced, there will be an owners' meeting on December 1, followed by a fleet dinner. The event will be at AYC. The meeting will start at 6pm sharp and last about 1.5 hours, and will be followed by drinks and dinner to which crews and wives and significant others are invited. Awards will be presented as well - and there will be lots of those this year since we have A & B fleets for the high point series and the pro series as well.
Here is the proposed agenda for the owners meeting:
* treasurer's report
8 election of officers
* approval of fleet 6 dues for 2008
* vote on the three proposed rules changes for the National Class
* Start discussing schedule for next year
* talk about any suggestions for next year
I will distribute more details about the dinner as they become available. Would love to hear any suggestions about agenda items for the annual meeting as well. Hope that we will have a good turnout for this like we did for the racing this year!
Joerg Esdorn
Indefatigable wins Manhasset Fall - October 21, 2007
After lots of wind yesterday, it was a difficult day today - go to the right for maybe some current relief or stay to the left for maybe some more breeze? Damian Emery - as he's prone to do - figured it out best and won the one and only race.
It was match racing all the way today for Indefatigable and Kincsem, with tacks, fake tacks and a lot of close racing. In the end, Inde beat out Kincsem by a few boat length. Overall, Kincsem was second, beating out Peregrina, Morning Glory and Andiamo. Sorry, couldn't see how close it was - too far back! Congratulations to Phil Lotz and his team on Indefatigable and Josh Burack on Peregrina for a great regatta! Josh, you got to come out more!
This is the end of a great season of racing on WLIS. For those who are going to the NAs, see you down there. Otherwise, see you December 1 for the fleet meeting and dinner! Full results
Gumption3 wins East Coast Championship - October 15, 2007
Kevin Grainger and his crew on Gumption won the ECs with 13 points, beating out Indefatigable (Phil Lotz, 15 points) and Kincsem (Joerg Esdorn 17 points). Andiamo (Paul Straub, 25 points) and Peregrina (Josh Burack, 29 points) round out the top five. This adds another half J105 model to the AYC bar until next year! Conditions were vintage Long Island Sound, with breeze from 6 to 25kn generally from the West but with severe shifts. Temps continue to be mild with the water still in the high sixties. The MBYC race committee did their best with the conditions, getting in 7 races over the two days. Next weekend will be the last race weekend of the season. Although MBYC Fall Series II does not count for the season standings, it will count for the overall score for the series. We expect at least 12 boats out next weekend - don't miss some of the best racing of the season! Overall results ECs
Kincsem, Eclipse and Gumption 3 are 1, 2, 3 in the Fall Regatta - October 1, 2007
After 13 races, it was Kincsem 48, Eclipse 56, Gumption 59, Morning Glory 61 and Andiamo 78 points. This last weekend of the series, the conditions were much better than last weekend - although there were plenty of holes and shifts to negotiate. Racing was again very close and the regatta was not decided until the last race, with just 5 points separating the top three before that race.
The format of this regatta was quite different from years past: we had 13 races, rather than 8 or 9. The difference was the length of the courses: .75 or 1 mile rather than 1.2 or 1.5 miles. Let me know if you liked it or not. Manhasset is next!
Joerg final results Fall Series
Eclipse leads by 4 points after the first weekend of AYC fall - September 24, 2007
This was a LIS weekend! After being pampered by relatively windy and steady conditions all season long, the fleet of 21 J105s this weekend experienced winds from everywhere, any time and lots of no wind at all around the course. Damian Emory did what he often does best: find a way to avoid the disasters in this mine field. With no double digit finishes, Eclipse leads a pack of boats consisting of Kincsem, Andiamo, Morning Glory and Gumptio - none of which was so lucky - by a few points. Congratulations to Shakedown for their first fleet 6 bullet yesterday! See you all on the line next weekend. click here for results
21 boats entered for AYC fall - September 16, 2007
Looks like we're going to have a great turnout again - 2 more boats than last year already. You can still register for the regatta and if you have a good excuse for not doing it earlier they might actually waive the late fee! See you all on the line next Saturday. click on the link for the AYC fall regatta to register
Kincsem, Savasana and Revelation 1, 2 and 3 in the NOOD and LIS Champtionship - September 10, 2007
PRO Cynthia Parthemos got off 7 races in 2 days of racing in great Southerly breezes this weekend. In between 7 and 17 knots of breeze all weekend long, racing among the 22 J105s was very tight, with up to 10 boats converging on marks at the same time. At the end, Kincsem beat out Savasana by 8 points, with Revelation a further 9 points behind. Eclipse and Gumption 3 rounded out the top 5. Kevin Grainger, the owner of Gumption 3, last year's winner, presented the Kincsem team with the yellow "brag flag" for the Larchmont NOOD winner. Kincsem will also be the first name on the newly created half model traveling trophy for the J105 LIS championship. For this year, the trophy will be placed in the bar at American Yacht Club! NOOD press release and final results
NOOD next weekend - 22 entrants so far - September 3, 2007
As of August 31, there were 22 J105s registered - again the biggest class in this great regatta. In fact, there's no other class that has 10 or more entries! Let's see whether we can get to 30 - deadline to pre-register is Tuesday, but I'm sure they'll take entries later than that. See below for the link to register. See you all on the line on Saturday! Joerg registration
Please sign up for the NOOD - August 2, 2007
Just as a reminder, the deadline for classes to form is about 3 weeks away (August 22nd), which will come up quicker than we think. Also, the $50 late fee will start 2 weeks from tomorrow, August 18th, for people who have not registered before that date. For registration, click here
Next Regatta is YRA Championship on August 11/12 - July 27, 2007
This regatta is part of the Pro Series. SIs for the YRA Champs
Eclipse wins Larchmont Race Week - July 23, 2007
Damien Emery posted two bullets yesterday to take the regatta by 4 points (25) over Morning Glory (29). Gumption3, Jato and Joysea were next - with 31, 48 and 53 points respectively. Link to full results
Morning Glory leads by two points with one day to go in Larchmont Race Week - July 22, 2007
No Larchmont Drift week this year! So far, eight races have been completed in 3 days and yesterday saw a steady 15kn with gusts to well into the 20s and brilliant sunshine. The 105 fleet was out in force and racing was close and exciting. Morning Glory, Eclipse, Gumption3, JATO and Revelation are the first five, with only 4 points separating places one and three. Link to Results
Ten Boats at McMichaels for the weighing event - July 22, 2007
Ten boats showed up last Tuesday to be weighed. Under the Class Rules, from February 2008, all boats have to be weighed and have a "weight certificate" on board while racing. For those boats that have not been weighed, time is getting short. Matt Berger, our Fleet Measurer, with the help of Bruce Lages of Sugar Free and many others, checked that boats were in required "empty" state and made sure they got on the scales ok. For those whose boats have not yet been weighed, they should contact Matt - we're going to try to do another event like this a bit later in the season. Don't wait until the fall this year or spring 2008 when things are always hectic and McMichaels will likely tell you (unless your boat is stored there over the winter) that they dont have time to weigh boats. To contact Matt
Kincsem, Eclipse and Revelation are 1, 2, 3 in the Stratford Shoals Race - July 1, 2007
It was a very tactical and challenging day on the (shorter) Cable and Anchor course, which the fleet had the good sense of selecting for this season's long distance race. The winds were generally from the South between 3 and 17 knots. The lead changed frequently and nothing was decided until the last jibe at 32A, with Kincsem and Eclipse almost overlapped and Revelation not far behind. Everyone got to the finish before 8pm and enjoyed the fireworks everywhere around the Sound with drinks, rather than wheel or tiller, in hand! Link to Results
Revelation wins Cedar Point One Design Regatta - June 5, 2007
Jay Lurie did it again: he won the next event on the fleet schedule, the Cedar Point One Design Regatta (which is part of the "Pro Series"). Jay with 7 points beat out SF transplant Bruce Stone with 10 points and Damian Emery with 15 points. Sorry I couldn't make it - but I'm told the conditions were "LIS like" tricky - who would have guessed that? Nonetheless, 6 races were completed and everyone had a great time. For full results, see the link below.
Some of us are off to Block Island soon - for those of you who are not doing that, don't forget the YRA races on 6/9 and 6/16. The next regatta on the high point schedule is the Stratford Shoals Race on 6/30. Will see you all there! Joerg Full Results Cedar Point
Revelation wins AYC Spring Series - May 7, 2007
Jay Lurie's team on Revelation made up an 8 point deficit yesterday to beat Kincsem on the second tier of a tie breaker, with both boats ending up with 23 points total. The racing was tight in great conditions yesterday one more time - sunshine and 12 to 17kn from the East. A total of 10 races were completed in the series. Nathan Boylan on Joysea found the 20 degree rightie in the first race and was launched, but Revelation fought back to come in second. In the second race, there was a big pile up at the boat, with Revelation initially being shut out by Kincsem, but with 10 seconds to go, Revelation snuck in with a bit more speed than Kincsem and sailed a great race to win the series. Third was Tom Boyle on Merlin (47 points), fourth Joe Brendel and Carl Olsson, Morning Glory (51) and fifth Paul Straub, Andiamo, 54. Full results below. AYC Spring Results
Great first weekend of AYC Spring Series - April 30, 2007
The J105s, with 20 boats entered, were the biggest one design class again this year and enjoyed great conditions and tight racing during the first weekend of AYC Spring. Winds were up and down, but mostly up with solid teens and even gusts to the 20s for most of the racing. Six races were completed. The first five (after throw out) were Kincsem (7), Revelation (13), Conundrum (22), Morning Glory (26), and Merlin (28). See link below for full results. Results AYC Spring South Course
Weigh your J105 at McMichaels on Tuesday, July 17 - April 25, 2007
We have a weighing event scheduled at McMichaels on July 17 - the Tuesday after the first weekend of Larchmont RW. Boats need to be empty - pls review exhibits 7.3C and D to the class rules, linked below, for instructions. Please let Matt Berger know if you want to go and work directly with Grant at McMichaels (914-698-4957; service@mcmyacht.com) for payment etc. Advance payment is required. Matt will be there for the event but needs to know who's coming.
This is likely your ONLY opportunity this year to get the boat weighed at a reduced price. Next year, floatlines will no longer be class legal! Weighing Procedures & Weight Certificate
Deadline for AYC Spring Entry is Today, Wednesday, 4-25 - April 25, 2007
Today is the deadline for entries. For entry form, go to the AYC website - see link below. We have 17 boats so far (as of yesterday). Forecast calls for temps in the 60s and SW 5-10 increasing to W 10-15kn in the afternoon. For Sunday, temps in the high sixties and W10-15kn. Should be a great weekend!
See you on the water! American Yacht Club Home Page
AYC Spring Series StartsThis Weekend - April 23, 2007
The AYC Spring Series starts this weekend, April 28-29. So far, inspite of the cold spring weather delaying the launch of many boats, we have 16 boats entered, so we're well on our way to a 20+ fleet on the line. Again, the J105s will have the largest one design class! There will be a J105 Hospitality Suite with free beer at the JAYC house after racing on Saturday. iii. Winning skippers & tacticians of the day to discuss why they won. Any winning skippers and tacticians who don’t show up will be subject to severe penalties ….. :<)
Anybody who needs crew, please contact Tom Boyle at tbboyle@mindspring.com.
See you all on the line!
Minutes of the March 12, 2007 Fleet Meeting Posted - March 16, 2007
The fleet meeting was held to a good turnout and the minutes are posted under "Fleet Business" - "Minutes". Note, in particular, the new schedule with a High Point Series (Season Champs - A&B fleets), a Pro Series, a YRA Series, a LIS Championship and a North East Championship. Minutes 3-12-07
Regatta Schedule - Let us know what you would like to do! - March 6, 2007
Below is a listing of the various regattas we could potentially include in the season and long distance championships. It's a long list and we will definitely have to cut this down. In order to see which regattas should be cut, we should understand how many boats would definitely or maybe do these regattas. Please email me at jesdorn@gibsondunn.com which of these regattas you will attend or maybe attend. I've also included a number of other regattas that won't be on the schedule fyi - feel free to let me know whether you intend to participate.
Please send your responses by Friday of this week (3/9) so I can tabulate the results before the Saturday meeting. See you all on Saturday!
Best regards. Joerg Esdorn/Kincsem
Fleet 6 Schedule
Season Champs Yes Maybe
Apr. 28-29 AYC Spring wknd#1
May 5-6 AYC Spring wknd#2
May 12-13 Greenwich Cup
May 19 Seawanhaka - Jamie Boeckel
June 2-3 Cedar Point One Design
June 9-10 Port Jefferson Harbor Cup
July 14-15 Larchmont RW #1
July 21-22 Larchmont RW #2
Sept. 22-23 AYC Fall wknd # 1
Sept. 29-30 AYC Fall wknd # 2
Oct. 13-14 Manhasset Fall #1
Oct. 20-21 Manhasset Fall #2
Long Distance
May 12 Edlu Race (32 mls)
May 25-27 Block Island Race
June 30 Stratford Shoals Race
October 6 Gearbuster
Other Regattas
June 18-22 Block Island Race Week
September 8-9 Larchmont NOOD
November 1-4 NAs, Annapolis
Fleet 6 Meeting - March 6, 2007
The Fleet 6 annual meeting will be held this coming Saturday, March 10th at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY at 11:00am. The fleet meeting will be at the JAYC house. When you enter AYC through the gate, the JAYC house is on your right adjacent to the dry sail area.
Please bring your check books because we will be collecting fleet 6 and national class dues.
Please email nathan@nathanboylan.com if you plan to attend.
Key Agenda Items:
Election of fleet officers
2007 Season Schedule
2007 Events
National Fleet Rules changes
Looking forward to seeing you!
UK Rules Seminar - February 21, 2007
When:
Saturday, March 10th
10 a.m. SHARP!
Where:
UK-Halsey loft at
175 City Island Ave.
City Island, NY 10464
Who:
Skippers and crew are invited.
Reservations:
Seating is limited. To reserve call
the loft at: 718-885-1700 or
e-mail: butch@ukhalsey.com
July 2006 Update from the Bridge - July 14, 2006
• Larchmont Race Week starts tomorrow and we have a number of J105’s registered. The J105’s will be racing over both weekends and lets hope for an uncharacteristically windy event.
• On August 5th we have the second of our one day racing events. Please see the website for more details.
• Although not on our championship schedule this year the YRALIS Championship Regatta at the end of August is always well attended by Fleet 6. This year the organizers have asked if we could poll the fleet as to the interest in this event and in particular if owners would be more inclined to participate if the racing was held further West in the American YC area instead of the usual Riverside/Greenwich area. Please let us know and we will pass on the feedback.
• For those of you not attending Larchmont RW or the NYYC Rolex in Newport, Fleet 24 is hosting the Sag Harbor Cup on July 22nd. This may be of interest to Fleet 6 boats with a home in Eastern LIS. For more info : http://www.breakwateryc.org/index2.htm
• The Crew Wanted/Available section of our website has been completely refreshed. The fleet receives a number of requests to crew and we are asking individuals to register on the website.
Stratford Shoal - Long Distance Cup event - July 7, 2006
Joe Brendel on Morning Glory took first place amongst the 105s who particpated in the first of two events for the Long Distance Cup. Morning Glory also took 2nd place in the PHRF results for the same race.
Revelation captures Gold at Cedar Point - June 5, 2006
In challenging and at times wet conditions, local boat Revelation with owners Jay Lurie, Anne & George Wilbanks aboard came through to take first place. Damian Emery in Eclipse was 2nd and Kevin Grainger in Gumption 3rd.
No Breeze at first YRALIS One Day event - May 29, 2006
Despite a good J105 turnout on the water, the wind did not fill in and the race Committee cancelled racing for the day. The next one day event is on Sat Aug 5th.
YRALIS J105 Racing this Sunday and Cedar Pt coming up - May 24, 2006
• This Sunday May 28th is our first one day racing event. The RC is aware that we are only racing on Sunday and registration is not necessary. Just turn up. At the last count we have 7+ boats signed up. Racing is midway between Larchmont YC and American YC with first gun at 14:25pm. Being a special memorial weekend event Larchmont will be giving out trophies to the top three J105 finishers on the day plus there will be drinks at LYC afterwards.
o Click Here for the SI’s
• Early registration for Cedar Point regatta on June 3rd and 4th closes after tomorrow so sign up early to avoid a $50 late fee. 8+ boats have said they will attend. This is a very well run event with a great social event on Sat evening.
o Click Here for the NOR
o Click Here for CPYC’s Cool New Online Signup
• Everyone’s national dues for 2006 are now paid and our fleet has increased to 38 members including several new boats. If we could encourage 3 more boats to join we would get an additional vote at the national level. We hope to see plenty of you out on the race course as the season progresses. Feel free to contact the bridge with any questions or suggestions.
May 2006 Update from the Bridge - May 9, 2006
• The next official race on our fleet championship schedule is Larchmont Race Week at the end of July but there are a couple of other races to be aware of from now until then.
o Greenwich Cup Spring – It’s this coming weekend and a couple of 105s have expressed an interest in attending.
o Cedar Point – June 3rd and 4th - 8+ boats have already said they will participate. This is always an extremely well run event with great social activities and reliable wind. We are trying to get a count in advance so please email us asap if you will be attending.
o Stratford Shoal Race – July 1st – Please let us know if you will be competing for the Long Distance Cup
o Three Day Series – The YRALIS has finally published their OD schedule. The three days for this series will be Sun May 28th, Sat Aug 5th and Sat Sept 2nd.
• Spring Tune Up Event – We need to know if you are interested in attending the rescheduled Tune Up Event on May 21st. Should we not get enough boats the bridge will plan alternatives such as having a Professional sailor/coach attend and film/photograph one of our events with a seminar later that day. Any feedback appreciated.
• Do not forget that in order to qualify for the top 5 in the Season Championship you must have your boat weighed. Please contact the Fleet measurer Matt Berger for more information.
• The forum has not proved to be a good form of communication therefore we will attempt using good old fashioned email as well. The fleet 6 email address is j105fleet6@j105.org so please use this going forward. The forum will remain active and we still encourage its use.
• Please continue using the new fleet website as your primary source of information. It is being updated regularly and contains new photos from AYC Spring Series, a crew finder list, etc.
• As always we encourage everyone to regularly communicate with the Bridge and other owners since this is what drives the success of our fleet. We are working hard at increasing participation and growing the fleet so please make every attempt to let us know as far in advance as possible which regattas and races you will attend.
Eclipse wins AYC Spring - May 8, 2006
Sixteen 105's showed up for AYCs Spring Series. After 2 weekends of light and variable conditions during the first regatta of the season, Eclipse (Damian Emery) captured first place followed closely by Kincsem (Joerg Esdorn) in second and Woody (Hennessey/Whitehead) in third. Full results on our results page and photos on our photo page.
Fleet 6 BBQ at AYC Sat 6th May - May 3, 2006
We will be having a BBQ at AYC after racing this Saturday, 6th May. The fleet will be providing a Keg and there will be a BBQ available on a “bring your own food” basis. This social event is open to all Fleet 6 owners and crew even if you are not competing this weekend.
Please go to our Fleet 6 Forum and register under the appropriate thread indicating how many crew will be attending.
We look forward to seeing many of you on Saturday and good luck on the water.
Click Here to Register
Season kicks off this weekend with AYC Spring - April 28, 2006
The season finally kicks off this weekend with American YC Spring series. Looks like we have 16 boats registered and the forecast calls for nice breeze and sunny skies so it should be a great weekend for racing.
There are a number of boats looking for crew and crew looking for boats. I encourage everyone to use the Crew section of our Fleet 6 forum. The bridge gets regular emails from people looking for a ride and we are pointing them in the direction of the forum.
http://www.j105.org/discus/messages/11/32.html?0
The bridge is planning of having a Fleet 6 BBQ during the second Saturday of AYC Spring (May 6th) after racing.
We encourage everyone to attend whether you are racing or not. Details to follow.
URGENT NOTICE: Spring Tune Up Event POSTPONED - April 21, 2006
Please note that the Tune Up event scheduled for this Sunday has been POSTPONED. Unfortunately we were unable to get enough participants and given the weather forecast for Sunday we feel it would be prudent to reschedule.
The Bridge is now hoping to hold this event on Sunday May 21st. Please register your interest at our Fleet 6 forum. Details to follow.
Weighing Boats - April 1, 2006
• As discussed at the Spring meeting we would like to get as many boats weighed as possible.
• We have managed to negotiate a bulk price with McMichaels for $150/boat for Spring 2006 to be collected by the Fleet.
• Please see Spring 2006 J105 Fleet 6 Boat Weighing Preparation Instructions on emptying and preparing your boat for weighing.
• If your boat is stored at McMichaels the Fleet Measurer Matt Berger will be contacting you in order to coordinate getting your boat inspected prior to weighing. You will have two deadlines to be ready for inspection. One is April 2nd and the other is April 16.
• For boats not at McMichaels coming via water, please contact Matt to coordinate the inspection and weighing at McMichaels
• Although this is not compulsory we cannot guarantee we will get this low price again and once your boat is weighted it never has to be done again. It is anticipated that the national rules will move to a weighing only rule over the next year or two.
• Note that in order to qualify in the Top 5 for the 2006 Season your boat must have been weighed.
J105 Spring Tune Up Event on April 23rd at American Yacht Club - April 1, 2006
• Please be at AYC by 11am where we will start with lunch and then an on the dock presentation by Kerry Klinger from UK Sailmakers
• We would like as many boats as possible to turn up but also encourage owners and crew to attend even if their regular boat is not there.
• Following this we will hit the water where we will video and photograph several practice starts and sail trim
• We will then return to AYC where Kerry will review the video and offer advice and recommendations as well as answer questions
• The cost will only be $10 per person since the fleet will be subsidizing the event.
• AYC will try and make moorings available for 4/22 and 4/23. Please email Joerg Esdorn if you need one.
• Please go to the Fleet 6 forum and let us know if you will or will not be attending as well as if you will be bringing your boat. American Yacht Club Website
2006 Fleet 6 Annual Meeting - March 11, 2006
The annual meeting of Fleet 6 LIS will be held at 2pm on Saturday the 11th March at McMichaels in Mamaroneck.
We ask that all owners attend but should you not be able to be there in person we will be offering a telephone conference number so you can dial into the meeting (details below). We would like as many owners as possible to be at McMichaels on the day so please make every effort to attend.
The Agenda is as follows:
- Approval of 2006 dues and payment thereof
- Welcome new owners to the fleet
Thanks to several recent sales we have a number of new owners on Long Island sound
- Select the new Bridge.
Please advise the current bridge if you would like to be considered for a position
- Finalize the 2006 Schedule and Scoring
Attached you will find a proposed schedule. The Bridge is proposing a less hectic schedule for 2006 so as to increase participation. The intent has been to not only reduce the number of regattas but minimize the amount of back to back weekends. This is not to say that there will not be other regattas with J105 participation but it allows us to focus on the greatest participation at our scheduled events.
- Approve the spring Pre-season warmup event
- Fleet treasurers report
- Rules
Changes to national rules
Weighing boats
- Approval of Fleet 6 2006 social events
- Any other business
Please email Nathan Boylan if you have any questions. Feel free to forward this to any new owners and skippers whose details we may not have as yet.
Fleet Measurer's Notes (Matt Berger): - June 22, 2005
At the last fleet 6 meeting the fleet approved a number of initiatives relating to the measurement of our boats. In my capacity as fleet measurer, I am writing to let you know about these initiatives and to ask for your cooperation in making them happen. We have a great racing schedule again this season and it is very important that our racing be in accordance with the J-105 class rules. In addition, compliance reduces any angst between competitors which leads to better racing.
1. Floatline Measurement By July 15, 2005 each boat should have been checked for placement of the floatlines at the bow and stern and should have been floated to the floatlines. A floatline certificate signed by the fleet measurer or one of his designees should be onboard the boat. For those unfamiliar with this procedure, see exhibit 7.3A and B to the class rules. As a start, we will be checking the location of floatlines on the boats at McMichaels this Saturday, March 26. If your boat has floatlines already, we will check their location, and/or if it needs them, we will mark your boat and/or put them on. If your boat is not at McMichaels, please let me know where your boat is located and when it will go into the water. We will try to check the floatline locations on as many boats as possible before launch.
On May 7, 2005, there will be a floatline check at a small marina right next to Huguenot Yacht Club in New Rochelle called Glen Island Harbour Club. Directions will be e-mailed separately. Since we need absolutely flat water to do this, the event will start at 7 am and will go to 11 am. We will have 15 minutes slots for each boat. First come first served with your referred time. Please let us know which time you prefer. Your boat needs to be empty except for the items that are required equipment and the items you will have on board at all times while racing. The sails need to be in their bags off the spars. Everything that's not standard will be listed on your floatline certificate - so you'll have to have it on the boat at all times while racing. So get off those 15 bottles of cleaner and the like - unless you want them on the boat at all times. If you have a signed floatline certificate, please bring it to the event, even if it is an outdated form (the form changed slightly in 2003). If you want to stay overnight at Glen Island, check with the harabormaster, Art. Space is apparently very limited though.
For those of you who are unable to make it on May 7, we will check floatlines again at Cedar Point Yacht Club on July 9 at 7 am to 9 am before racing (this is the day of the Cedar Point regatta). First come first served for your preferred time. Since we have much less time on July 9, we encourage each of you to sign up for the May 7 event.
If you miss both of these events, you won't be in strict compliance with the class rules after the Cedar Point regatta. Please make sure that your boat gets floated at either of these events...it will make you feel better.
2. Sail Declaration We have noticed that many boats do not seem to have all their sail tags reflected on the J-105 website. Members click on Sail Tag List. Note that you can observe all J-105 sails registered in all fleets at this site. We are asking you to complete the Sail Declaration Certificate. This will require you to check that each of the sails you plan to use this season is listed on the website (or was delivered before 1/1/01, when the sail tag requirement went into effect). Please make sure that this certificate is completed and sent to me before the first regatta your boat is entering this season. Note that sails delivered after 1/1/01 are not in compliance unless the sail tag is listed on the above data base. See class rule 6.9.
My address is:
Matt Berger
32 Fairmont Street
Huntington, NY 11743
3. Spot Checks Your boat is always susceptible to spot checks or protest regarding rules compliance throughout the season. If your boat is selected or questioned, please cooperate with me or my assistant measurers!!!
4. Weighing of boats If your boat is located at McMichaels, you will have the option to have it weighed when it is launched. The price for this is $50. Although weighing is not required, we encourage each of you to weigh your boat because this provides a nice cross check against the floatline procedure. If you decide to weigh your boat, you will need to empty it completely of loose equipment and items (including sails, spin & jib sheets and any items required by the floatline certificate that are not permanently installed on the boat). You will also have to note how much fuel and water is in the tanks and make sure the bilge is empty. If you don't do these things, there is no point in weighing your boat. Please let me know whether you would like your boat weighed - I will let McMichaels know and make sure the boat gets checked for loose equipment before it goes on the scale
For those of you whose boats are not at McMichaels and would like to have the boat weighed, we will fix a day in June when your boat can be weighed at McMichaels. I will let you know that date
Looking forward to a great season & "Here's Mudd in Your Eye (HaHa)",
Matt Berger, Fleet Measurer
2005 Fleet 6 Annual Meeting - January 1, 2005
Our annual Meeting will be held at McMichael's Yacht Yard at 12:00 noon on January 8, 2005 (Note change of time from earlier posting). McMichael's is located at 447 East Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck, NY.
The agenda will be as follows:
Fleet Captain's Report
Fleet Treasurer's Report
Election of Officers
2005 Schedule (preliminary discussion)
National Rule Changes (see National Forum)
Local Fleet Rule Changes (if any)
Other Announcements
Proposals for Fleet Activities
On behalf of the Fleet 6 Bridge, we'd like to wish you and yours a very Joyous Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!
2004 Announcements - December 31, 2004
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